Miljø- og Fødevareudvalget 2018-19 (1. samling)
MOF Alm.del
Offentligt
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Survey of mercury
and mercury
compounds
Part of the LOUS-review
Environmental Project No. 1544, 2014
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Title:
Survey of mercury and mercury compounds
Authors and contributors:
Jakob Maag
Jesper Kjølholt
Sonja Hagen Mikkelsen
Christian Nyander Jeppesen
Anna Juliana Clausen and Mie Ostenfeldt
COWI A/S, Denmark
Published by:
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency
Strandgade 29
1401 Copenhagen K
Denmark
www.mst.dk/english
Year:
2014
ISBN no.
978-87-93026-98-8
Disclaimer:
When the occasion arises, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency will publish reports and papers concerning
research and development projects within the environmental sector, financed by study grants provided by the Danish
Environmental Protection Agency. It should be noted that such publications do not necessarily reflect the position or
opinion of the Danish Environmental Protection Agency.
However, publication does indicate that, in the opinion of the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, the content
represents an important contribution to the debate surrounding Danish environmental policy.
While the information provided in this report is believed to be accurate, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency
disclaims any responsibility for possible inaccuracies or omissions and consequences that may flow from them. Neither
the Danish Environmental Protection Agency nor COWI or any individual involved in the preparation of this publication
shall be liable for any injury, loss, damage or prejudice of any kind that may be caused by persons who have acted based
on their understanding of the information contained in this publication.
Sources must be acknowledged.
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Contents
Preface ...................................................................................................................... 5
Summary and conclusions ......................................................................................... 7
Sammenfatning og konklusion ................................................................................ 14
1.
Introduction to the substance group ................................................................. 21
1.1 Definition of the substance group ........................................................................................ 21
1.2 Physical and chemical properties ........................................................................................ 22
1.3 Function of the substances for main application areas ...................................................... 22
Regulatory framework...................................................................................... 24
2.1 Legislation ............................................................................................................................ 24
2.1.1
Existing legislation ................................................................................................ 24
2.1.2
Classification and labelling ................................................................................... 38
2.1.3
REACH ...................................................................................................................41
2.1.4
Other legislation/initiatives .................................................................................. 42
2.2 International agreements .................................................................................................... 43
2.3 Eco-labels ............................................................................................................................. 47
2.4 Summary and conclusions................................................................................................... 47
Manufacture and uses ...................................................................................... 48
3.1 Manufacturing ..................................................................................................................... 48
3.1.1
Manufacturing processes ...................................................................................... 48
3.1.2
Manufacturing sites .............................................................................................. 48
3.1.3
Manufacturing volumes ........................................................................................ 49
3.2 Import and export ................................................................................................................ 50
3.2.1
Import and export of mercury and mercury compounds (on their own) in
Denmark ................................................................................................................ 50
3.2.2
Import and export of mercury and mercury compounds in the EU .................... 51
3.3 Uses ...................................................................................................................................... 52
3.3.1
Use, and trends in use, of mercury and mercury compounds in Denmark ........ 52
3.3.2
Use of mercury and mercury compounds in the EU ........................................... 58
3.3.3
Global use of mercury and mercury compounds ................................................. 67
3.4 Summary and conclusions on manufacture and uses ........................................................ 67
Waste management .......................................................................................... 69
4.1 Waste from production processes and industrial use of mercury and mercury
compounds ........................................................................................................................... 69
4.2 Waste products from the use of mercury and mercury compounds in mixtures and
articles .................................................................................................................................. 70
4.1 Release of mercury from waste disposal ..............................................................................73
4.2 Summary and conclusions for waste management .............................................................73
Environmental effects and exposure ................................................................. 74
5.1 Environmental hazard ......................................................................................................... 74
5.1.1
Classification ......................................................................................................... 74
5.1.2
Environmental effects ........................................................................................... 74
2.
3.
4.
5.
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5.2
Environmental fate .............................................................................................................. 76
5.2.1
Long range transport and mercury and mercury compounds in the Arctic
Environment ..........................................................................................................77
5.3 Environmental exposure ......................................................................................................77
5.3.1
Sources of release emissions to the environment in Denmark ............................ 77
5.3.2
Monitoring data .................................................................................................... 82
5.4 Summary and conclusions on environmental effects and exposure.................................. 85
Human health effects and exposure .................................................................. 86
6.1 Human health hazard .......................................................................................................... 86
6.1.1
Classification ......................................................................................................... 88
6.2 Human exposure and risk assessment ................................................................................ 90
6.2.1
Direct exposure pathways in Denmark ................................................................ 94
6.3 Biomonitoring data .............................................................................................................. 94
6.4 Summary and conclusions regarding human health effects and exposure ....................... 95
Information on alternatives.............................................................................. 97
7.1 Identification of possible alternatives ................................................................................. 97
7.2 Historical and future trends .............................................................................................. 103
7.3 Summary and conclusions on alternatives ....................................................................... 106
Overall findings and conclusions .................................................................... 108
Abbreviations and acronyms .......................................................................... 109
6.
7.
8.
9.
References ............................................................................................................. 111
Appendix 1:
Appendix 2:
Appendix 3:
Mercury compounds pre-registered by ECHA (2013) ...................... 115
Background information to Section 2 on regulatory framework ..... 123
Ecolabels ....................................................................................... 129
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Preface
Background and objectives
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency’s List of Undesirable Substances (LOUS) is intended
as a guide for enterprises. It indicates substances of concern whose use should be reduced or
eliminated completely. The first list was published in 1998 and updated versions have been
published in 2000, 2004 and 2009. The latest version, LOUS 2009 (Danish EPA, 2011) includes 40
chemical substances and groups of substances which have been documented as dangerous or which
have been identified as problematic using computer models. For inclusion in the list, substances
must fulfil several specific criteria. Besides the risk of leading to serious and long-term adverse
effects on health or the environment, only substances which are used in an industrial context in
large quantities in Denmark, i.e. over 100 tonnes per year, are included in the list.
Over the period 2012-2015, all 40 substances and substance groups on LOUS will be surveyed. The
surveys include collection of available information on the use and occurrence of the substances,
internationally and in Denmark, information on environmental and health effects, on alternatives
to the substances, on existing regulation, on monitoring and exposure, and information regarding
ongoing activities under REACH, among others.
On the basis of the surveys, the Danish EPA will assess the need for any further information,
regulation, substitution/phase out, classification and labelling, improved waste management or
increased dissemination of information.
This survey concerns mercury and mercury substances. These substances were included in the first
list in LOUS and have remained on the list since that time.
The main reasons for the inclusion in LOUS are the following:
•
Mercury and mercury compounds make the use of the residual products of waste streams
(flue-gas cleaning products, slag, sludge and compost) problematic.
Several of the compounds have properties of concern with regard to the CLP Regulation. Mercury is
in general a very toxic substance which may cause nerve damage even at low concentrations.
•
The substances are the subject of particular focus in Denmark..
The main objective of this study is, as mentioned, to provide background for the Danish EPA’s
consideration regarding the need for further risk management measures.
The process
The survey has been undertaken by COWI A/S (Denmark). The work has been followed by an
advisory group consisting of:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Frank Jensen, Lone Schou and Thilde Fruergaard Astrup, Danish EPA
Gudrun Hilbert and Dorthe Licht Cederberg, Danish Veterinary and Food Administration
Lis Keiding and Lene Vilstrup, Danish Health and Medicines Authority
Ulla Hansen Telcs, DI Confederation of Danish Industries
Susanne Simonsen, Danish Nature Agency
Pia Lauridsen, Danish Working Environment Authority
Henrik Lous, Vattenfall A/S, for the Danish Energy Association
Jakob Maag, COWI
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Data collection
For mercury, a large number of reports and assessments are available from Danish authorities as
well as internationally. The use of mercury and its compounds in Denmark, emissions to the
environment, environment and health effects are well described. A long list of authoritative
international documents including UNEP reviews, EU assessments, WHO assessments etc. are also
available. The strategy of this review has therefore been to reference existing authoritative
assessments, supplemented as necessary with other data particular for the current situation in
Denmark.
As relevant, existing data have also been searched for in other data sources, including among
others:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Legislation in force from Retsinformation (Danish legal information database) and EUR-Lex
(EU legislation database);
Ongoing regulatory activities under REACH and intentions listed on ECHA’s website (incl.
Registry of Intentions and Community Rolling Action Plan);
Relevant documents regarding International agreements from HELCOM, OSPAR, the PIC
Convention, the Rotterdam Convention, the LRTAP Convention and the Basel Convention.
Data on harmonised classification (CLP) and self-classification from the C&L inventory
database on ECHAs website;
Data on ecolabels from the Danish ecolabel secretariat (Nordic Swan and EU Flower).
Pre-registered and registered substances from ECHA’s website;
Production and external trade statistics from Eurostat’s databases (Prodcom and Comext);
Data on production, import and export of substances in mixtures from the Danish Product
Register (confidential data, not searched via the Internet);
Data from the Nordic Product Registers registered in the SPIN database;
Information from CIRCABC on risk management options (confidential, for internal use only,
not searched via the Internet)
Monitoring data from the National Centre for Environment and Energy (DCE), the Geological
Survey for Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration,
and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Reports, memorandums, etc. from the Danish EPA;
Reports published at the websites of:
−
UNEP, The Nordic Council of Ministers, ECHA and the EU Commission;
−
US EPA and other national environmental authorities, as relevant.
•
•
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Summary and conclusions
Besides elemental mercury, mercury is a constituent of a large number of substances, here called
mercury compounds. The compounds are grouped in two groups, inorganic mercury compounds
and organic mercury compounds, which each have some distinct group characteristics. The form of
the mercury compound influence such characteristics as uptake in biological cells, bonding to
organic and inorganic matter (bioavailability), atmospheric transport distances after emission, and
retention efficiency of flue gas filters, among others. Being an element, no matter which form
mercury is in, it may however ultimately be decomposed to elemental mercury in nature, which is in
itself toxic to humans and in the environment. The critical exposure routes of all mercury
compounds are via their decomposition and natural formation of methylmercury (MeHg) in the
aquatic environment. The primary risk to the general population is thus exposure to methylmercury
via ingestion of aquatic foods.
Due to its characteristics, mercury is capable of traveling long distances with the atmosphere and
ocean currents, and is thus truly a global pollutant.
Elemental mercury plus 202 mercury compounds were pre-registered by industry under the
REACH regulation, yet as of June 2013 only elemental mercury itself has been registered. This may
indicate that the number of mercury compounds in use in the EU in the future will be reduced, but
it however cannot be determined with certainty, as industry may still register existing mercury
compounds, which are not classified as mutagenic or reprotoxic, and are used in amounts below
100 tonnes/y, until 2018.
Legislation
Mercury has been a prioritised substance in Danish pollution abatement for several decades. Due to
its well documented adverse environmental characteristics, mercury and its compounds are among
the most regulated hazardous substances both nationally in Denmark, in the EU and in
international conventions. This is also reflected by the fact that mercury is among the few
substances which are, or are soon to be, regulated globally. Denmark and other Nordic countries
have been among the main promoters behind the formation of strict regulation of mercury and its
compounds in the EU and globally.
Mercury pollution to all environmental media is targeted by legislation, yet with most emphasis on
the atmospheric releases due to mercury's ability for long-range transport.
Denmark's ban on the marketing, import and export of mercury covers most intentional mercury
uses, with exemptions for a number of mercury applications, partly such for which alternatives are
not fully matured on the market (for example energy-saving lamps) and partly a number of uses for
which exemptions are made in order to not impair trade among EU Member states. In the EU
context, mercury is however also severely restricted, and with the dedicated focus of the Community
mercury strategy, remaining intentional mercury uses may be further restricted as adequate
alternatives for these are matured and accepted.
As regards other mercury source categories, mercury releases are also regulated to a varying extent.
Waste incineration is regulated with an air emission limit in the Industrial Emissions Directive, and
otherwise indirectly via facility-specific environmental permits which may also target releases to
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other media. Mercury releases to the atmosphere from coal combustion is addressed in Danish
regulation indirectly only, in the form of a guideline on air emissions in environmental permits,
which is to be considered in facility-specific environmental permits. Based on available emission
estimates, atmospheric emissions from these major sources have been reduced heavily over the last
decades. Mercury- specific filter types exist however, which have the capacity to reduce air
emissions further. These are applied on many (but not all) of the Danish waste incineration plants,
but not on any Danish coal fired power plants.
The negotiation of a global treaty - the Minamata Convention - on mercury was finalised in January
2013. The treaty is scheduled to be opened for signing during 2013. Mercury is also addressed by
several existing international agreements addressing atmospheric emissions (CLRTAP), the marine
environment (OSPAR, HELCOM), waste (Basel Convention), and export of chemicals (Rotterdam
Convention).
Manufacture and use
Neither mercury, nor any mercury compounds are manufactured in Denmark. Manufacturing of
metallic mercury in the EU is now limited to recycling of mercury, as all other EU sources of supply
have been banned.
The Danish consumption of mercury declined by 90% already in the period 1993-2001 due to a
prioritised strategy from Denmark's side. Restrictions on certain mercury uses were introduced
even before the first general mercury ban in 1994. At the same time, a change in technology
occurred from manual, mercury-filled instruments to mercury-free digital solutions with more
functionalities, which also helped reduce the consumption.
A search for mercury and mercury compounds in the Danish Product Register, which register
mixtures aimed at professional users in Denmark, did only show the use of elemental mercury and
4 mercury compounds, and in amounts in the range of a few kilograms per year. Similarly, a search
in the Nordic chemicals database SPIN only gave few hits. This is in accordance with the absence of
mercury compounds registered under REACH for the EU.
No recent comprehensive surveys of mercury consumption are available for Denmark. The latest
detailed consumption data are from a substance flow analysis based on 2001 data. The table below
shows mercury consumption (demand) data from 2001 for Denmark along with new data for dental
amalgam from this survey. For other mercury sources, indicative expert estimates are given based
on information on the current status of regulation of the mercury sources in question, as well as on
other background knowledge. Note that some mercury uses, as for example laboratory uses, are
expected to have quite effective separate collection and deposition/recycling schemes.
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TABLE 1
MERCURY CONSUMPTION (DEMAND) DATA FROM 2001 AND INDICATIVE EXPERT ESTIMATES FOR
2013 CONSUMPTION IN DENMARK.
Application
2000/01
consumption
kg Hg/y
Mercury (intentional uses)
Dental fillings
Light sources
1,100-1,300
60-170
Used, but at lower rates, see text
Increasing due to climate campaigns;
substitutes (LED) are gaining ground in
more uses
Switches, contacts and
relays
Clinical thermometers
Other thermometers
Other measuring and
control equipment
Chlor-alkali production
-
Not present in DK (EU: Not BAT according
to IE Directive/BREF conclusions)
Other uses as a metal
40-60
Laboratory uses, porosimetry is now known
to be a significant use
Mercury compounds (intentional use)
Mercury-oxide batteries
Other batteries
0.5-0.6
70-150
Not used in Denmark , regulated
Used in certain button cell types;
alternatives on the market. No for other
batteries; regulated and substituted
Laboratory chemicals
Medical applications
Other chemical applications
Total, intentional uses
(rounded)
Mercury input as impurities
Coal
600-1,000
Present
No aggregated
information (NAI)
Oil products
Natural gas
Biological fuels
Cement
Agricultural lime, fertilizer
and feeding stuffs
Foodstuffs
10-20
Present
NAI
2-30
0.4-3
18-80
30-70
11-40
Present
Present
Present
Present
Present
NAI
NAI
NAI
NAI
NAI
30-70
0-1
5-50
1,300-1,900
Limited, see text
Limited
Limited, see text
30-70
0-1
10-30
300-1000
0
0-100
50-250
0
1.1
15-20
10-50
Banned in DK
Banned with some exemptions
Banned with some exemptions
0
0-20
0-30
0-20
Likely but minimal; is exempted from ban
0-10
130-150
100-300
Notes of consumption /presence
today
Expert estimates of
2013 consump-
tion*1, kg Hg/year
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Application
2000/01
consumption
kg Hg/y
Notes of consumption /presence
today
Expert estimates of
2013 consump-
tion*1, kg Hg/year
All other goods
Total, impurities
Total (rounded)
Note: *1: Based on very limited data.
94-1,900
760-3,100
2,100-5,000
Present
NAI
NAI
NAI
Waste
Mercury is persistent and toxic no matter what chemical form it is in. Mercury once brought into
the biosphere, for intentional use or as trace pollutant, thus needs to be managed to reduce or avoid
adverse impacts on humans and the environment. In Denmark and the EU, waste fractions
containing mercury are therefore categorized as hazardous waste needing special collection and
treatment. Up till recently, recycling has been the preferred option for mercury waste, but as the
demand for mercury for intentional use has decreased in developed countries over the last decades,
the priority for high-concentration mercury waste is now turning towards environmentally safe final
deposition.
Generated mercury waste is likely dominated by solid wastes from power plants, which are mainly
re-used in construction works. Among intentional uses of mercury, the main sources of new
generation of mercury waste are deemed to be:
•
Dental amalgam;
•
Fluorescent lamps including CFLs and some specialised discharge lamps;
•
Button-cell batteries;
•
Certain types of polyurethane elastomer products (low in amounts);
•
U-tube type blood pressure gauges from professional uses (hospitals, clinics, etc.;
•
Porosimetry,.
While some sectors have strict procedures for special collection of hazardous waste, consumers have
been observed to have difficulties in or lack motivation for waste separation, and high collection
rates have been difficult to achieve. Accordingly, a substantial fraction of the mercury waste
disposed of must still be expected to be lost to municipal waste incineration.
Many mercury containing products have a significant life span, and on top of that, some are the
types of technical products which private users tend to hoard before disposing them. It has thus
earlier been observed that some product types still appear in the waste stream more than a decade
after cessation of their use. Special collection schemes and filters capturing mercury in waste
incineration flue gasses will thus still be necessary for a couple of decades after a potential total
cessation of intentional mercury use.
Environmental effects and exposure
Mercury and mercury compounds are according to the CLP Regulation classified as very toxic to
aquatic life with long lasting effects (Aquatic Acute 1, and Aquatic Chronic 1). Mercury is an element
and therefore not degradable and some mercury compounds, not least methylmercury, have a high
bioaccumulation potential.
Mercury and mercury compounds, in particular organic mercury compounds and above all
methylmercury, are highly toxic to many aquatic organisms, often with short term effects levels in
the low microgram per litre range and chronic NOECs below 1 µg/L. Bioconcentration factors in fish
of several thousands have been reported.
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Focus is in particular on top predators living in the aquatic environment or feeding on fish and
shellfish, i.e. predatory fish, marine mammals, polar bears, and certain predatory birds. Mercury
levels in these animals do not appear to be decreasing despite recent efforts to reduce use or phase-
out mercury and the levels in edible species may exceed human health criteria. Terrestrial top
predators appear to be less exposed to mercury compounds via the food chain than the aquatic
species. Many mercury compounds are also known to be toxic to bacteria and other microorganisms
and some have actively been used to control undesired microbial growth or impact.
Updated inventories of
mercury releases
to all environmental media are not available. The latest
such inventory, or substance flow assessment, on mercury is for the year 2001. Aggregated
quantification of atmospheric mercury emissions from 2010 is shown below; note that waste
incineration is reported as part of “energy industries”. The major contribution under the category
“Waste” is from crematoria.
TABLE 2
ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS FROM MAJOR SOURCE CATEGORIES IN DENMARK, 2010
Sector
Energy Industries (Including Incineration)
Manufacturing Industries and Construction
Transport
Non-industrial Combustion
Industrial Processes
Waste
Total
Emissions in 2010, kg Hg/y
240
56
32
48
15
48
440
There are also
natural mercury releases
to the biosphere, volcanoes being one of the major
sources. During the last decade, the best available estimates of atmospheric emissions indicated
that natural mercury emissions were of about the same magnitude as current anthropogenic
emissions, while a similar amount was re-emission of mercury previously emitted from human
activity (i.e., about a third of total atmospheric emissions origins from each of these three source
categories). New research presented at the 2013 International Conference of Mercury as a Global
Pollutant held in Edinburgh indicate however that a larger part of what was previously considered
natural emissions may in fact be re-emissions. The new research includes data of pre-industrial
human use and release of mercury (used widely in gold and silver mining for millennia, among
others). This underlines the significance of human releases, and emphasises the importance of
reducing them in order to minimise their adverse impact.
Human health effects and exposure
Mercury has a number of human health effects. For methylmercury, the effects observed to occur at
the lowest exposure levels are neurodevelopmental effects (loss of IQ; learning ability impairment)
in unborn and young children. According to ECHA-RAC (Risk Assessment Committee under
REACH), this effect does not appear to have a lower threshold. Other toxic effects include alteration
of sensory functions, motor coordination, memory and attention. A link between methylmercury
intake and cardiovascular diseases has been reported. According to the European Food Safety
Authority, EFSA, although the observations related to myocardial infarction, heart rate variability
and possibly blood pressure are of potential importance, they are still not conclusive.
EFSA states that the critical target organ for toxicity of inorganic mercury is the kidney. Other
targets include the liver, nervous system, immune system, reproductive and developmental
functions (EFSA, 2012).
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An assessment finalised by the National Food Institute, Technical University of Copenhagen (DTU
Food) in 2013 indicated that the exposures via food of the general Danish population to
methylmercury (from aquatic foods) and inorganic mercury (other foods) are within the levels
considered by the DTU Food Institute to be safe.
EFSA concluded in its 2012 assessment that a significant part of the EU population may be exposed
to methylmercury via fish and other aquatic foods beyond what is considered to be safe levels.
Exposure to inorganic mercury from the diet seems to be within what is considered to be safe levels,
yet the presence of dental amalgam may lead to exposure beyond safe levels for a part of the
population.
Arctic populations, including the populations of Greenland and the Faroe Islands, are subject to
higher mercury exposures due to their dependence/preference for aquatic diets, in combination
with the high mercury deposition (from remote sources) and bio-magnification in the many trophic
levels of the arctic marine food web.
Alternatives
Today alternatives are commercially available for almost all applications of mercury. This has
enabled a near total phase-out of mercury use in some countries, including in Denmark. The
substitution of mercury has been a priority in both the Nordic countries, in Europe as a whole and
in North America for several decades. In Denmark, elimination of mercury in products and
materials has been prioritised to enable optimal use of waste for energy production, without
escalating mercury emissions from the incineration processes. At the same time, electronic
solutions with added performance characteristics have been introduced over the last decades,
outdating many of the mercury-based instruments.
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A full mercury phase-out may take extra time for the following mercury applications, with the
mentioned reasons:
TABLE 3
MAJOR MERCURY APPLICATIONS FOR WHICH SUBSTITUTION MAY REQUIRE MORE TIME, AND
REASONS FOR THIS
Mercury application
ASGM – Artisanal and
small-scale gold
mining
(not used in Denmark)
Dental amalgam
Status of substitution and observed barriers
The only matured alternative is cyanidation, which is acutely toxic and therefore requires high-tech
containment. Low-tech solutions are available which, in combination with training of miners, can
reduce mercury use and release by 90%. ASGM is poverty-driven which makes it more difficult to
implement reductions.
Mercury-free composites fillings (and compomer fillings) are available and are dominating the
market in some countries. They could in principle eliminate mercury usage, but for complex fillings,
this would be with reduced life-time of fillings and increased price as a consequence. Low-price low-
impact glasiomer fillings are deemed by some to be a better alternative to amalgam in such
developing countries where price and availability of technical equipment are the determining factors
(in spite of lower strength of this filling material).
The use of dental amalgam is restricted in Denmark and the Danish Health and Medicines Authority
has issued guidelines for their use.
Fluorescent lamps
including CFL’s
Over the last decade, low-energy high-lifetime LED lamps have emerged on the global market.
Within the last few years, they have reached a light quality suitable for office and home lighting, but
so far at substantially higher prices than fluorescent lamps. Fluorescent lamps can now be produced
with lower mercury concentrations than previously, but their use has increased due to climate
campaigns, implying an increase in mercury consumption for this application in Denmark and
globally.
Various laboratory
and research uses
Laboratory analyses are governed by analysis standards, which take long time to change due to
inertia and costs of paradigm changes. In Denmark, they are deemed to be used in relatively closed
systems within strict hazardous waste collection and treatment schemes.
Data gaps
As indicated, the environmental characteristics of mercury are well described, should it however be
prioritised, the following issues are pointed out for potential follow up as regards the Danish
situation:
•
Update of selected aspects of mercury’s flow and cycle in Denmark for which no recent data are
available. For example the fate of mercury in solid residues from coal fired power plants used
in cement production,.
•
Assessment of collection efficiency of separate collection of mercury-containing waste in
Denmark (especially articles) and establishing a better insight in the time it takes for obsolete
mercury-added articles to get out of circulation in society. One element in this could be
analysis of data from the newly introduced continuous mercury measurements in some waste
incineration facilities, which can show peaks in emissions from mercury-added products.
Future challenges in the Danish context may be the implementation of the Minamata Convention in
Denmark. While most provisions of the convention are likely already covered in Danish and EU
legislation, some adjustments and supplements may be needed.
In the global context much remains to be illuminated as regards national mercury releases
inventories, development of guidelines for inventories, waste management and other aspects under
the Minamata Convention, as well as many other issues.
Survey of mercury and mercury compounds
13
 MOF, Alm.del - 2018-19 (1. samling) - Endeligt svar på spørgsmål 152: Spm. om, hvor meget kviksølv der årligt graves op ved den danske olie-og gasproduktion, miljø- og fødevareministeren
Sammenfatning og konklusion
Udover elementært kviksølv, er kviksølv en bestanddel af et stort antal kemiske forbindelser, som
her samlet vil blive betegnet kviksølvforbindelser. Forbindelserne er inddelt i to grupper,
uorganiske kviksølvforbindelser og organiske kviksølvforbindelser, som hver har sine
karakteristika. Kviksølvforbindelsernes form påvirker en række egenskaber som for eksempel
optagelse i levende celler, adsorption til organisk og uorganisk materiale (biotilgængelighed),
atmosfæriske transportafstande efter udledning samt hvor effektivt forbindelserne tilbageholdes af
røggasfiltre. Uanset hvilken form kviksølv er i, kan det i sidste ende blive omdannet til elementært
kviksølv i naturen, hvilket i sig selv er giftigt for mennesker og miljø. De kritiske eksponeringsveje
for alle kviksølvforbindelser er via deres nedbrydning og efterfølgende naturlig dannelse af
methylkviksølv (MeHg ) i vandmiljøet . Den primære risiko for den almindelige befolkning er
således eksponering for methylkviksølv via indtagelse af fede fisk og visse andre akvatiske
fødevarer.
På grund af dets egenskaber er kviksølv i stand til at bevæge sig over lange afstande med
atmosfæren og havstrømmene og det udgør dermed et globalt miljøproblem.
Elemental kviksølv plus 202 kviksølvforbindelser blev præ-registreret af industrien under REACH-
forordningen, men per juni 2013 er kun metallisk kviksølv blevet registreret. Dette kan indikere, at
antallet af kviksølvforbindelser i brug i EU i fremtiden vil blive reduceret, men dette kan dog fortsat
ikke siges med sikkerhed, da industrien stadig kan registrere eksisterende kviksølvforbindelser, der
ikke er klassificeret som mutagene eller reproduktionstoksiske, og som anvendes i mængder under
100 tons/år, indtil 2018.
Regulering
Kviksølv har været et prioriteret stof i dansk forureningsbekæmpelse i flere årtier. På grund af dets
veldokumenterede miljøeffekter er kviksølv og dets forbindelser blandt de mest regulerede farlige
stoffer både nationalt i Danmark, i EU og i internationale konventioner. Dette afspejles også af det
faktum, at kviksølv er blandt de få stoffer, som er, eller snart bliver, reguleret globalt. Danmark og
øvrige nordiske lande har været blandt de vigtigste aktører bag dannelsen af en stærk regulering af
kviksølv og dets forbindelser i EU og globalt.
Kviksølvudledning til alle dele af miljøet er reguleret i lovgivningen, men med størst vægt på
udledninger til luft, fordi kviksølv spredes over lange afstande med atmosfæren.
Danmarks forbud mod markedsføring, import og eksport af kviksølv dækker de fleste
tilsigtede
kviksølvanvendelser.
Der er dog undtagelser for en række anvendelser, dels sådanne hvor
alternativerne ikke er fuldt markedsmodnede (f.eks. lysstofrør og energisparepærer), dels en række
anvendelser, hvor der er fundet særlig grund til at sikre fri samhandel mellem EU-
medlemsstaterne. I EU-sammenhæng er kviksølv imidlertid også stærkt begrænset og med den
dedikerede fokus i EU’s kviksølvsstrategi kan resterende tilsigtede kviksølvanvendelser meget vel
blive yderligere begrænset i takt med at kviksølv-frie alternativer bliver bredt accepteret.
Øvrige kilder til kviksølvudledninger er også reguleret i varierende omfang. Forbrænding af affald
er reguleret med en grænseværdi for udledninger til atmosfæren i Direktivet om industrielle
emissioner, mens de øvrige er reguleret via anlægsspecifikke miljøtilladelser, som også kan
14
Survey of mercury and mercury compounds
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målrettes udledninger til andre miljøer. Kviksølvudledninger til atmosfæren fra kulforbrænding er
kun behandlet indirekte i dansk regulering i form af Luftvejledningen, som giver generelle
retningslinjer for anlægs -specifikke miljøtilladelser. Baseret på tilgængelige emissionsopgørelser
vurderes atmosfæriske udledninger fra disse store kilder at være reduceret væsentligt i de seneste
årtier. Der findes dog kviksølv-specifikke røggasfiltre, som kan reducere luftudledningerne
yderligere; disse anvendes på mange (men ikke alle) af de danske affaldsforbrændingsanlæg, men
ikke på nogen danske kulfyrede kraftværker.
Forhandlingerne om en global aftale om kviksølv, Minamata-konventionen, blev afsluttet i januar
2013. Aftalen bliver åbnet for underskrivelse i efteråret 2013. Kviksølv er også omfattet af flere
eksisterende internationale aftaler om atmosfæriske emissioner (CLRTAP), havmiljøet (OSPAR ,
HELCOM), affald (Basel-konventionen) samt eksport af kemikalier (Rotterdam-konventionen).
Fremstilling og anvendelse
Hverken kviksølv eller kviksølvforbindelser produceres i Danmark. Fremstilling af metallisk
kviksølv i EU er nu begrænset til genbrug af kviksølv, idet alle andre EU- forsyningskilder er blevet
forbudt.
Det danske forbrug af kviksølv faldt med 90% allerede i perioden 1993-2001 som følge af en
prioriteret strategi fra Danmarks side. Begrænsninger i brugen af kviksølv til visse anvendelser blev
indført før det første generelle forbud mod kviksølv i 1994. Samtidig skete en ændring i teknologien
fra manuelt betjente kviksølv-holdige instrumenter til kviksølv-fri digitale løsninger med flere
funktioner, som også bidrog til at reducere forbruget.
En søgning på kviksølv og kviksølvforbindelser i den danske Produktregister, der registrerer
blandinger, som anvendes professionelt i Danmark, viste et registreret forbrug af frit kviksølv samt
4 kviksølvforbindelser og i mængder af størrelsesordenen et par kilo om året. Tilsvarende gav en
søgning i den nordiske kemikaliedatabase SPIN kun få hits. Dette er i overensstemmelse med
fraværet af kviksølvforbindelser registreret under REACH for EU.
Ingen nyere omfattende undersøgelser af forbruget af kviksølv i Danmark er til rådighed. De seneste
detaljerede forbrugsdata fremgår af en massestrømsanalyse baseret på data fra 2001.. Tablelen
nedenfor viser forbruget af kviksølv i 2001 i Danmark sammen med nye data for dental amalgam
fra nærværende kortlægning. For andre kviksølvkilder er givet groft anslåede mængder baseret på
oplysninger om den aktuelle status for regulering af de pågældende kviksølvkilder, såvel som på
andre baggrundsviden. Bemærk, at nogle kviksølvanvendelser, for eksempel laboratorieformål,
forventes at have ganske effektive ordninger til indsamling og deponering/genanvendelse.
Survey of mercury and mercury compounds
15
 MOF, Alm.del - 2018-19 (1. samling) - Endeligt svar på spørgsmål 152: Spm. om, hvor meget kviksølv der årligt graves op ved den danske olie-og gasproduktion, miljø- og fødevareministeren
1976967_0016.png
TABLE 4
FORBRUG AF KVIKSØLV I DANMARK I 2001 SAMT GROFT ANSLÅET FORBRUG FOR 2013
Application
2000/01
forbrug
kg Hg/år
Tilsigtede anvendelser af
kviksølv
Dental amalgam
Lysstofrør, sparepærer og
speciallamper med Hg
Kontakter og relæer
0-20
1,100-1,300
60-170
Bruges, men i lavere mængder, se tekst
Stigende pga. klimakampagner; alternativet
(LED) får stadig større udbredelse
Muligt men minimalt forbrug, er undtaget i
kviksølvbekendtgørelsen
Febertermometre
Andre termometre
Andet måle- og
kontroludstyr
Klor-alkali produktion
-
Ikke til stede i DK. (EU: ikke BAT ifølge IE
Direktiv/BREF konklusion)
Andre anvendelser af
metallisk kviksølv
Mercury compounds (intentional use)
Kviksølvoxid batterier
Andre batterier
0.5-0.6
70-150
Anvendes ikke i DK, reguleret
Anvendes i visse knapceller; alternativer er
på markedet. Anvendes ikke i andre
batterier; regulerede og substituerede
Laboratorie kemikalier
Medicinske anvendelser
Andre anvendelser af
kemikalier
Sum, bevidste anvendelser
Kviksølv som følgestof
Kul
600-1,000
Til stede
Ingen aggregerede
oplysninger (IAO)
Olieprodukter
Naturgas
Bio-fuels
Cement
Landbrugskalk,
kunstgødning og foder
Fødevarer
Andre varer og materialer
10-20
94-1,900
Til stede
Til stede
IAO
IAO
2-30
0.4-3
18-80
30-70
11-40
Til stede
Til stede
Til stede
Til stede
Til stede
IAO
IAO
IAO
IAO
IAO
1,300-1,900
300-1,000
30-70
0-1
5-50
Begrænset anvendelse, se tekst
Begrænset anvendelse
Begrænset anvendelse, se tekst
30-70
0-1
10-30
0
0-100
40-60
Laboratoriebrug; porosimetri udgør et ikke
ubetydeligt forbrug
50-250
0
1.1
15-20
10-50
Reguleret
Reguleret med visse undtagelser
Reguleret med visse undtagelser
0
0-20
0-30
0-10
130-150
100-300
Bemærkninger om forbrug/situation i
2013
Groft anslået
forbrug i 2013 *1, kg
Hg/år
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1976967_0017.png
Application
2000/01
forbrug
kg Hg/år
Bemærkninger om forbrug/situation i
2013
Groft anslået
forbrug i 2013 *1, kg
Hg/år
IAO
IAO
Sum, følgestof
Sum (afrundet)
760-3,100
2,100-5,000
Note: *1: Baseret på meget begrænsede oplysninger.
Affald
Kviksølv er unedbrydeligt og er giftigt uanset hvilken kemisk form det er i. Kviksølv der én gang er
bragt ind i biosfæren, som tilsigtet anvendelse eller som følgestof, skal således håndteres med
henblik på at reducere eller undgå negative indvirkninger på mennesker og miljø. I Danmark og EU
er affaldsfraktioner, der indeholder kviksølv, derfor kategoriseret som farligt affald og der er krav
om særlig behandling og indsamling. Indtil for nylig har genbrug været den foretrukne løsning for
kviksølvholdigt affald, men da efterspørgslen efter kviksølv til tilsigtede anvendelser er faldet i i-
landene i de seneste årtier, sigtes der i højere grad mod at affald med høje kviksølvkoncentrationer
slutdeponeres.
Frembringelse kviksølvholdigt affald er i Danmark sandsynligvis domineret af restprodukter fra
kraftværker, der hovedsagelig genanvendes til produktion af gipsplader (afsvovlingsprodukt) og
cement (flyveaske), samt direkte til anlægsarbejder (slagge og flyveaske). Blandt tilsigtede
anvendelser af kviksølv anses de vigtigste kilder til frembringelse af kviksølvholdigt affald at være:
•
Dental amalgam;
•
Lysstofrør herunder sparepærer og nogle specialiserede udladningslamper;
•
Knapcelle batterier;
•
Visse typer polyuretan elastomer produkter (lille kviksølvmængde);
•
Traditionelle U-rørs blodtryksmålere fra professionelle anvendelser (hospitaler, klinikker
osv.);
•
Porosimetri.
Mens nogle sektorer har strenge procedurer for særlig indsamling af farligt affald, har det vist sig at
private forbrugere har svært ved, eller mangler motivation for, affaldssortering, og det har været
vanskeligt at opnå høje indsamlingsprocenter. Derfor forventes en væsentlig del af det bortskaffede
kviksølvholdige affald fra private stadig at blive bortskaffet til forbrændingsanlæg for
husholdningsaffald.
Mange kviksølvholdige produkter har en betydelig levetid, og desuden er nogle af dem tekniske
produkter, som private brugere har en tendens til at gemme længe inden bortskaffelse. Det er
således tidligere blevet observeret, at visse varetyper stadig findes i affaldsstrømmen mere end 10 år
efter ophør af deres anvendelse. Særlige indsamlingsordninger for affald samt filtre, der
tilbageholder kviksølv i røggas fra affaldsforbrændingsanlæg, vil således stadig være nødvendige et
par årtier efter et potentielt ophør af tilsigtet anvendelse af kviksølv.
Miljømæssige effekter og eksponering
Kviksølv og kviksølvforbindelser er ifølge CLP-forordningen klassificeret som meget giftige for
vandlevende organismer, ved såvel akut som langvarig eksponering (Aquatic Acute 1 og Aquatic
Chronic 1). Kviksølv er et grundstof og er derfor ikke nedbrydeligt og nogle kviksølvforbindelser,
ikke mindst methylkviksølv, har et højt potentiale for bioakkumulering.
Kviksølv og kviksølvforbindelser, navnlig organiske kviksølvforbindelser og frem for alt
methylkviksølv, er meget giftige for mange vandlevende organismer, ofte med effekter ved kortvarig
Survey of mercury and mercury compounds
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 MOF, Alm.del - 2018-19 (1. samling) - Endeligt svar på spørgsmål 152: Spm. om, hvor meget kviksølv der årligt graves op ved den danske olie-og gasproduktion, miljø- og fødevareministeren
1976967_0018.png
eksponering ved lave mikrogram per liter værdier og kroniske NOEC værdier under 1 mg/L.
Biokoncentreringsfaktorer i fisk på flere tusinde er blevet rapporteret.
Fokus er især på rovdyr øverst i fødekæden i vandmiljøet eller som lever af fisk og skaldyr, dvs.
rovfisk, havpattedyr, herunder isbjørne, og visse rovfugle. Kviksølvniveauet i disse dyr synes ikke at
være faldende på trods af de seneste årtiers bestræbelser på at reducere brugen af kviksølv og
kviksølv-niveauerne i spiselige arter kan overstige de relevante grænseværdierne for fødevarer.
Rovdyr øverst i fødekæden i det terrestriske miljø synes at være mindre udsat for
kviksølvforbindelser via fødekæden end de akvatiske arter. Mange kviksølvforbindelser er også
kendt for at være giftige for bakterier og andre mikroorganismer, og nogle har været aktivt brugt til
at hindre uønsket mikrobiel vækst.
Opdaterede opgørelser over kviksølvudledninger til alle miljøer er ikke tilgængelige. Den seneste
opgørelse er en massestrømsanalyse for året 2001. Den årlige opgørelse af atmosfæriske kviksølv-
udledninger i 2010 er vist nedenfor. Bemærk at affaldsforbrænding er rapporteret som en del af
"energiproduktion". Størstedelen af udledningen under kategorien "affald" er fra krematorier.
TABLE 5
ATMOSFÆRISKE UDLEDNINGER AF KVIKSØLV FRA DE VÆSENTLIGSTE KILDETYPER I DANMARK I
2010
Sektor
Energiproduktion (herunder
affaldsforbrænding)
Produktion og anlægsvirksomhed
Transport
Ikke-industriel forbrænding
Industrielle processer
Affald
Sum
240
56
32
48
15
48
440
Emissioner i 2010, kg Hg/år
Der findes også naturlige kviksølvudledninger til biosfæren. Vulkaner er en af de vigtige kilder
globalt set. I det seneste årti har opfattelsen været, at naturlige kviksølvemissioner til luft var af
omtrent samme størrelse som de nuværende menneskeskabte emissioner, mens en tilsvarende
mængde var re-emission af kviksølv fra tidligere menneskeskabte udledninger (dvs. omkring en
tredjedel af de samlede emissioner til luften kom fra hver af disse tre kategorier). Ny forskning
præsenteret summarisk på International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant 2013 afholdt
i Edinburgh antyder imidlertid, at en større del af det, der tidligere blev anset som naturlige
emissioner, faktisk kan være re-emissioner. Den nye forskning omfatter – i modsætning til tidligere
opgørelser - data fra før-industriel anvendelse af kviksølv (har blandt andet været udbredt anvendt
til udvinding af guld og sølv i årtusinder). Dette understreger betydningen af den menneskeskabte
udledning af kviksølv, og understreger vigtigheden af at reducere udledningerne for at minimere
miljøeffekterne.
Sundhedseffekter og eksponering
Kviksølv har en række sundhedsmæssige effekter. For
methylkviksølv
er de effekter, der
forekommer på de laveste eksponeringsniveauer, neurotoksiske effekter (tab af IQ; svækkelse af
indlæringsevne) hos ufødte og små børn. Ifølge ECHA-RAC (udvalget for risikovurdering under
REACH), ser denne effekt ikke ud til at have en laveste tærskel. Andre toksiske effekter inkluderer
ændring af føle-funktioner, motorik, hukommelse og opmærksomhed. En sammenhæng mellem
18
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indtaget af methylkviksølv og hjerte/kar sygdomme er rapporteret. Den Europæiske
Fødevareautoritet, EFSA anser de rapporterede observationer om en sammenhæng mellem
eksponering for methylkviksølv og blodpropper, pulsvariationer og muligvis forhøjet blodtryk som
potentielt vigtige, om end de ifølge EFSA ikke er endeligt påvist.
Ifølge EFSA er nyrerne det kritiske målorgan for toksicitet af
uorganisk kviksølv.
Andre mål
omfatter leveren, nervesystemet, immunsystemet, reproduktive og udviklingsmæssige funktioner.
En vurdering færdiggjort af DTU Fødevareinstituttet i 2013 viste, at eksponeringen af den generelle
danske befolkning via fødevarer med methylkviksølv (fra akvatiske fødevarer) og uorganiske
kviksølv (andre fødevarer) er inden for de niveauer, der anses for at være sikre.
EFSA konkluderede i sin 2012 vurdering, at en væsentlig del af befolkningen i EU kan blive udsat
for methylkviksølv via fisk og andre akvatiske fødevarer i mængder, der anses for at være ud over
det sikre niveau. Eksponering med uorganisk kviksølv fra kosten synes at være inden for, hvad der
anses for at være et sikkert niveau, om end tilstedeværelsen af tandfyldninger af amalgam måske
kan føre til eksponering over sikre niveauer for en del af befolkningen.
Den arktiske befolkning, herunder befolkningerne i Grønland og på Færøerne, er udsat for højere
niveauer af kviksølveksponering på grund af deres afhængighed af og præference for akvatiske
fødevarer, set i sammenhæng med den høje regionale kviksølv deposition (fra fjerntliggende kilder)
og opkoncentrering i de mange led i den arktiske marine fødekæde.
Alternativer
I dag er der kommercielt tilgængelige alternativer til næsten alle anvendelser af kviksølv. Dette har
muliggjort en næsten total udfasning af brugen af kviksølv i nogle lande, herunder i Danmark.
Substituering af kviksølv har været en prioritet i både de nordiske lande, i Europa som helhed, og i
Nordamerika i flere årtier. I Danmark er eliminering af kviksølv i artikler og materialer blevet
prioriteret for at muliggøre optimal udnyttelse af affald til energiproduktion, uden at øge
kviksølvemissionerne fra forbrændingen. Samtidig er elektroniske løsninger med forbedrede
egenskaber blevet indført i de seneste årtier, som har erstattet mange af de kviksølvholdige
instrumenter.
En fuldstændig udfasning af kviksølv kan af de nævnte årsager tage længere tid for følgende
kviksølvanvendelser:
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1976967_0020.png
TABLE 6
STØRRE KVIKSØLVANVENDELSER FOR HVILKE UDFASNING KAN KRÆVE LÆNGERE TID
Mercury application
ASGM – Småskala
guldudvinding (ikke
udført i Danmark)
Status of substitution and observed barriers
Det eneste fuldt modnede alternativ er cyanid-ekstrahering. Cyanid er akut giftigt og kræver derfor
optimalt set højteknologiske lukkede processystemer for at reducere risikoen. Lavteknologiske
løsninger som i kombination med uddannelse af minearbejdere kan reducere kviksølvanvendelsen og
-udslippet med 90% er tilgængelige. ASGM er fattigdoms-drevet, hvilket gør det vanskeligere at
gennemføre tiltag til reduktioner.
Dental amalgam
Kviksølv-frie kompositfyldninger (og compomerfyldninger) er tilgængelige på markedet og er i dag
dominerende i nogle lande. De kunne i princippet helt erstatte kviksølv, men for komplekse
fyldninger ville dette være resultere i reduceret levetid og øget pris. Billigere og lettere anvendte
glasiomer-fyldninger anses af nogle for at være et bedre alternativ til amalgam i de udviklingslande,
hvor pris og tilgængelighed af teknisk udstyr er de afgørende faktorer (på trods af lavere styrke i dette
fyldmateriale). Brugen af amalgam er begrænset i Danmark og den danske Sundhedsstyrelse har
udstedt retningslinjer for deres anvendelse.
Lysstofrør og
sparepærer
I løbet af det sidste årti er lavenergi LED lamper med lang levetid slået igennem på det globale
marked og inden for de sidste få år har de nået en lyskvalitet velegnet til indendørsbelysning, dog
indtil videre til væsentligt højere priser end lysstofrør. Lysstofrør kan nu produceres med lavere
kviksølvkoncentrationer end tidligere, men deres anvendelse er steget på grund af klimakampagner,
hvilket indebærer en stigning i forbrug af kviksølv til denne anvendelse i Danmark og globalt.
Diverse laboratorie-
og
forskningsanvendelser
Laboratorieanalyser styres af analyse-standarder, som det tager lang tid at ændre på grund af inerti
og omkostninger ved paradigme ændringer. I Danmark anses disse anvendelser for at blive brugt i
relativt lukkede systemer med strenge krav indsamling og behandling som farligt affald.
Manglende viden
Som anført er kviksølvs miljøegenskaber velbeskrevne. Skulle det imidlertid være ønsket at
opdatere datagrundlaget vedrørende kviksølv i Danmark foreslås følgende tiltag:
•
Opdatering af udvalgte aspekter af kviksølvs cirkulation i det danske samfund og miljø, som
der ikke findes nylige data for. Eksempelvis kviksølvs skæbne i restprodukter fra
kulkraftværker, der anvendes til cementproduktion.
•
Vurdering af indsamlingseffektiviteten ved separat indsamling af kviksølvholdigt affald i
Danmark (især artikler), herunder en vurdering af hvor lang tid det tager før udtjente
kviksølvholdige artikler er ude af cirkulationen i samfundet. Et element i en sådan
undersøgelse kunne være analyse af de nyligt indførte kontinuerlige kviksølvmålinger i nogle
affaldsbrændingsanlæg, som kan detektere kortvarige udslips-hændelser forårsaget af
kviksølvholdige artikler.
En fremtidig udfordring vedrørende kviksølv kan være implementeringen af Minamata-
konventionen i Danmark. Mens de fleste bestemmelser i konventionen sandsynligvis allerede er
dækket i dansk lovgivning og EU lovgivning, kan nogle justeringer og tilføjelser være nødvendige.
I den globale sammenhæng er der stadig meget der skal gøres for så vidt angår nationale
udledningssopgørelser for kviksølv, udvikling af retningslinjer for sådanne opgørelser og for
affaldshåndtering samt andre aspekter i forbindelse med Minamata-konventionen, foruden en lang
række andre spørgsmål.
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1. Introduction to the
substance group
1.1
Definition of the substance group
Besides elemental mercury, mercury is a constituent of a large number of substances, here called
mercury compounds. The compounds are grouped in two groups, inorganic mercury compounds
and organic mercury compounds, which each have some distinct group characteristics. Inorganic
mercury compounds are mainly in the ionic form with varying solubility depending on the ions
involved. Organic mercury compounds involve covalent chemical bonds between mercury and
varying organic radicals (for example methyl). This mercury-organo entity can be either a molecule
or an ion capable of forming ionic compounds with a large variety of other ions. The form of the
mercury compound influence such characteristics as uptake in biological cells, bonding to organic
and inorganic matter (bioavailability), atmospheric transport distances after emission, and
retention efficiency of flue gas filters, among others. These characteristics will be dealt with in the
report as relevant for the description of the key features of mercury as an environmental pollutant.
Section 3 describes the most used mercury compounds and Appendix 1 lists all mercury compounds
pre-registered under the EU Reach regulation.
It is important to understand that mercury can be brought into the biosphere by humans by two
different overall mechanisms: by 1) intentional extraction and technical use of mercury, and 2) as a
natural constituent in other materials which are processed in a way that releases mercury to the
biosphere (environment). The latter is for example the case for coal combustion in power plants,
cement production and zinc mining, which are all major mercury release sources. A third
component in current mercury pollution of the biosphere is the so-called re-emission of mercury
previously emitted from human activity. This happens by natural processes, due to mercury's
evaporation at low temperatures, and is also enhanced by human activity such as the use of bio-
fuels, changes in land-use and as a consequence of global warming. Re-emission prolongs the
effects of human releases of mercury. Reducing current human releases of mercury is however the
only way to obtain reduced impacts of mercury to humans and the environment. This, in
combination with mercury's toxicity and its capacity to remain in (and be re-emitted to) the
atmosphere and thus be transported with the atmosphere on a global scale, has been the main
impetus for creating a global treaty on reduction of mercury pollution. The negotiations of the treaty
were finalised in January 2013 and the treaty is expected to be opened for signature during 2013 in
Minamata, Japan (scene of one of the World’s worst local pollution incidents caused by mercury).
An important feature of mercury, being an element, is however that no matter which form it is in, it
may ultimately be decomposed to elemental mercury in nature, which is in itself toxic to humans
and in the environment. Furthermore, the organic mercury compound methylmercury (MeHg) can
be formed by natural microbial processes from elemental mercury in aquatic and terrestrial
environments, including in landfills in their methane-producing phase.
The primary risks to the general population is caused by exposure to methylmercury via ingestion of
aquatic foods, and the critical exposure routes of all mercury compounds are via their
decomposition and natural formation of methylmercury (MeHg) in the aquatic environment. The
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health and environment sections of this report therefore focus on methylmercury, rather than on
the specific mercury compounds. Elemental mercury and inorganic mercury compounds have
similar uptake mechanisms in the body, and they are also dealt with on an aggregate level in the
human health section.
Elemental mercury plus 202 mercury compounds were pre-registered by industry under the
REACH regulation, yet as of March 2013 only elemental mercury itself has been registered, even
though 101 mercury compounds had registration deadlines in 2010(ECHA, 2013a). The 203
mercury compounds pre-registered by ECHA are presented in Annex 1.
Similarly, as of March 2013, no mercury compounds were found (using a search on "mercu") in the
ECHA's list of substances identified by industry to be registered by 31 May 2013 (ECHA, 2013d).
This may indicate that the number of mercury compounds in use in the EU in the future will be
reduced, but it however cannot be determined with certainty, as industry may still register mercury
compounds within the deadline in spite of no early notification to ECHA of doing so.
1.2
Physical and chemical properties
TABLE 7
PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF MERCURY
Mercury
EC number
CAS number
Synonyms
Molecular formula
Physical state
Melting/freezing
point
Boiling point
Hg
Liquid, at 20°C and 1013 hPa
-38.87 °C, measurement performed at 1013.25
hPa
356.58 °C, measurement performed at 1013.25
hPa
Relative density
Vapour pressure
Surface tension
Water solubility
Atomic weight
13.53 g/cm³ at 25 °C
0.002666 hPa at 25 °C
0.47 N/m at 20 °C
0.00013 mg/L at 25 °C
200.59 g/mol
-“-
-“-
-“-
-“-
-“-
Registration at ECHAs website
231-106-7
7439-97-6
Reference
1.3
Function of the substances for main application areas
With its special characteristics, mercury has been used for a large variety of purposes since roman
times (and even earlier for cosmetics), where it was applied in gold extraction just as it is today in
artisanal and small scale gold mining (ASGM). ASGM is, even today, the largest intentional use of
mercury.
Table 5 gives examples of the application of mercury and its compounds as well as the key features
of mercury making them technically suitable for the purpose.
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TABLE 8
EXAMPLES OF APPLICATIONS OF MERCURY AND MERCURY COMPOUNDS AND THE KEY
CHARACTERISTICS MAKING THEM TECHNICALLY SUITABLE
Examples of applications of mercury and
mercury compounds
Elemental mercury:
Chlor-alkali production
Good conductor of electricity, fluent at room
temperature
Can amalgamate (mix into/"dissolve") certain other
metals (Au, Ag, Al, etc.)
Volume very temperature-dependent, fluent at room
temperature
Fluent at room temperature, high density
High density, suitable wetting properties
Good conductor of electricity, fluent at room
temperature
Low boiling point, suitable emitted light wave length
Can amalgamate (mix into/"dissolve") certain other
metals (Au, Ag, Al, etc.)
High density, fluent at room temperature
Key mercury characteristics used in
application
Dental amalgam
Thermometers
Manometers and barometers
Porosimetry
Electric and electronic switches
Fluorescent lamps
Gold and silver extraction
"Bogie tubes" for straightening out constricted
intestines in the human body
Mercury compounds:
Batteries
Good electrochemical potential, suppresses gas
formation
Toxic to microorganisms and other life forms
Good electron source; specific effects on chemical
structures used in chemical reactions
Various characteristics depending on use
Pesticides, biocides and medicals
Catalyst for production of chemicals and
polymers
Laboratory chemicals and standards for
various purposes
Besides intentional use of mercury, mercury is present naturally, or as a man-made trace pollutant,
in most materials. In sectors processing large volumes of materials, such as coal fired power plants,
mining, cement production and oil and gas uses, mercury is emitted in significant quantities.
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2. Regulatory framework
This chapter gives an overview of how mercury and mercury compounds are addressed in existing
and forthcoming EU and Danish legislation, international agreements and eco-label criteria. The
overview reflects the findings from the data search (reference is made to data collection strategy in
the foreword).
For readers not used to dealing with legislative issues regarding chemicals, Appendix 1 provides an
overview of legislative instruments in EU and Denmark. The appendix also gives a brief
introduction to chemicals legislation, explanation for the lists referred to in Section 2, and provides
a brief introduction to international agreements and selected eco-label schemes.
2.1
Legislation
This section first lists existing legislation addressing mercury and mercury compounds and then
gives an overview of on-going activities.
2.1.1
Existing legislation
Table 6 gives an overview of the main pieces of existing legislation addressing mercury and mercury
compounds. For each area of legislation, the table first list applicable EU legislation and then its
possible transposition into Danish law and/or other national rules. Mercury may be mentioned in
other legal instruments (e.g. defining commodity groups for statistics).
The following table lists the main instruments regulating the use, release and disposal of mercury
and mercury compounds. As can be seen, mercury and mercury compounds are regulated through a
range of cross-cutting chemicals legislation (incl. numerous restrictions), as well as sector-specific
and media specific (e.g. air, sludge, water) legislation.
TABLE 9
DANISH AND EU LEGISLATION SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING MERCURY AND MERCURY COMPOUNDS
Legal instrument*1
Requirements as concerns mercury (includes amendments to the parent
instruments)
Legislation addressing products
Statutory order no. 627 of 1 july
2003 on prohibition of import,
sale and export of mercury and
mercury-containing products
(“Danish mercury order”)
Bekendtgørelse om forbud mod
import, salg og eksport af
kviksølv og kviksølvholdige
produkter
BEK nr 627 af 01/07/2003
1.-(1) Import, sale and export of mercury and mercury-containing products shall be prohibited.
(2) Mercury means the element mercury, both in its metallic form and in chemical compounds.
(3) Mercury-containing products means products in which mercury constitutes more than 100
ppm (mg/kg) of their homogeneous components.
(4) Irrespective of the prohibition in subsection (1) hereof, import, sale and export of the
mercury-containing products listed in the Annex shall be permitted.
(5) This Order shall not apply to:
- natural impurities in coal
- used products which fulfilled Danish requirements at the time they were first offered for sale
- products regulated by other legislation, unless they are stated in the Annex.
List of mercury-containing products for which import, sale and export are permitted -
irrespective of the prohibition laid down in section 1 of the Order
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Legal instrument*1
Requirements as concerns mercury (includes amendments to the parent
instruments)
1. Dental products for filling permanent molar teeth, where the filling is worn
2. Mercury-wetted film switches and relays which meet EN 119000, for specified applications in
businesses:
- data and telecommunication
- process control
- PLC remote control of energy supply
- electrical test systems
3. Thermometers for special applications:
- calibration of other thermometers
- analysis equipment
4. Special light sources:
- discharge lamps, including energy-saving bulbs
- for analysis operations
- for graphic operations
5. Flash units for safety installations on railway lines
6. Manometers for calibration of other pressure gauges
7. Barometers for calibration of other barometers
8. Electrodes for special applications:
- polarographic analysis
- potentiometric analysis
- calomel reference
9. Mercury-containing chemicals for special applications:
- raw materials for analysis reagents
- analysis reagents
- standards
- preservation of starch for laboratory use
- isotope dilution testing
- catalysts
10. Products for research, including odontological research
11. Products for teaching
12. Products for vital applications in aircraft
13. Products for the repair of existing mercury-containing equipment
- As amended by Statutory
Order
BEK nr 115 af 12/02/2009
Regulation No 1907/2006 (EC)
on the Registration, Evaluation,
Authorisation and Restriction of
Chemicals (REACH)
The amendment implements Direktive 2007/51/EF of 25. September 2007 on restrictions for
mercury containing measuring instruments for private use.
REACH Annex XVII (latest available consolidated version of the REACH legal text, dated
09.10.2012; which does not include provisions for phenylmercury compounds and measuring
instruments; see below): Restrictions on the manufacture, placing on the market and use of
certain dangerous substances, mixtures and articles.
For substances which have been incorporated in this Annex as a consequence of restrictions
adopted in the framework of Directive 76/769/EEC (Entries 1 to 58), the restrictions shall not
apply to storage, keeping, treatment, filling into containers, or transfer from one container to
another of these substances for export, unless the manufacture of the substances is prohibited.
Mercury - CAS No 7439-97-6 EC No 231-106-7:
1. Shall not be placed on the market: (a) in fever thermometers; (b) in other measuring devices
intended for sale to the general public (such as manometers, barometers, sphygmomanometers,
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Legal instrument*1
Requirements as concerns mercury (includes amendments to the parent
instruments)
thermometers other than fever thermometers).
2. The restriction in paragraph 1 shall not apply to measuring devices that were in use in the
Community before 3 April 2009. However Member States may restrict or prohibit the placing on
the market of such measuring devices.
3. The restriction in paragraph 1(b) shall not apply to: (a) measuring devices more than 50 years
old on 3 October 2007; (b) barometers (except barometers within point (a)) until 3 October
2009.
[4. is obsolete; see below]
Mercury compounds:
Shall not be placed on the market, or used, as substances or in mixtures where the substance or
mixture is intended for use:
(a) to prevent the fouling by micro-organisms, plants or animals of: — the hulls of boats, —
cages, floats, nets and any other appliances or equipment used for fish or shellfish farming, —
any totally or partly submerged appliances or equipment;
(b) in the preservation of wood;
(c) in the impregnation of heavy-duty industrial textiles and yarn intended for their
manufacture; (d) in the treatment of industrial waters, irrespective of their use.
Reproductive toxicant category 1B adverse effects on sexual function and fertility or on
development (Table 3.1) or reproductive toxicant category 2 with R60 (May impair fertility) or
R61 (May cause harm to the unborn child) (Table 3.2) listed in Appendix 6 (Eds.: to the Annex;
the appendix includes elemental mercury):
Without prejudice to the other parts of this Annex the following shall apply to entries 28 to 30:
1. Shall not be placed on the market, or used, — as substances, — as constituents of other
substances, or, — in mixtures, for supply to the general public when the individual concentration
in the substance or mixture is equal to or greater than: — either the relevant specific
concentration limit specified in Part 3 of Annex VI to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, or, — the
relevant concentration specified in Directive 1999/45/EC. Without prejudice to the
implementation of other Community provisions relating to the classification, packaging and
labelling of substances and mixtures, suppliers shall ensure before the placing on the market
that the packaging of such substances and mixtures is marked visibly, legibly and indelibly as
follows: ‘Restricted to professional users’.
2. By way of derogation, paragraph 1 shall not apply to:
(a) medicinal or veterinary products as defined by Directive 2001/82/EC and Directive
2001/83/ EC;
(b) cosmetic products as defined by Directive 76/ 768/EEC;
(c) the following fuels and oil products: — motor fuels which are covered by Directive 98/70/EC,
— mineral oil products intended for use as fuel in mobile or fixed combustion plants, — fuels
sold in closed systems (e.g. liquid gas bottles);
(d) artists’ paints covered by Directive 1999/45/.
As amended by COMMISSION
REGULATION (EU) No
848/2012
(a) Phenylmercury acetate EC No: 200-532-5 CAS No: 62-38-4 (b) Phenylmercury propionate
EC No: 203-094-3 CAS No: 103-27-5 (c) Phenylmercury 2-ethylhexanoate EC No: 236-326-7
CAS No: 13302-00-6 (d) Phenylmercury octanoate EC No: - CAS No: 13864-38-5 (e)
Phenylmercury neodecanoate EC No: 247-783-7 CAS No: 26545-49-3:
1. Shall not be manufactured, placed on the market or used as substances or in mixtures after 10
October 2017 if the concentration of mercury in the mixtures is equal to or greater than 0,01 %
by weight.
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Legal instrument*1
Requirements as concerns mercury (includes amendments to the parent
instruments)
2. Articles or any parts thereof containing one or more of these substances shall not be placed on
the market after 10 October 2017 if the concentration of mercury in the articles or any part
thereof is equal to or greater than 0,01 % by weight.’
As amended by COMMISSION
REGULATION (EU) No
847/2012
In Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, the entry 18a is amended as follows:
(1) paragraph 4 is deleted;
(2) the following paragraphs 5 to 8 are added:
5. The following mercury-containing measuring devices intended for industrial and professional
uses shall not be placed on the market after 10 April 2014: (a) barometers; (b) hygrometers; (c)
manometers; (d) sphygmomanometers; (e) strain gauges to be used with plethysmographs; (f)
tensiometers; (g) thermometers and other non-electrical thermometric applications. The
restriction shall also apply to measuring devices under points (a) to (g) which are placed on the
market empty if intended to be filled with mercury.
6. The restriction in paragraph 5 shall not apply to: (a) sphygmomanometers to be used: (i) in
epidemiological studies which are ongoing on 10 October 2012; (ii) as reference standards in
clinical validation studies of mercury-free sphygmomanometers; (b) thermometers exclusively
intended to perform tests according to standards that require the use of mercury thermometers
until 10 October 2017; (c) mercury triple point cells which are used for the calibration of
platinum resistance thermometers.
7. The following mercury-using measuring devices intended for professional and industrial uses
shall not be placed on the market after 10 April 2014: (a) mercury pycnometers; (b) mercury
metering devices for determination of the softening point.
8. The restrictions in paragraphs 5 and 7 shall not apply to: (a) measuring devices more than 50
years old on 3 October 2007; (b) measuring devices which are to be displayed in public
exhibitions for cultural and historical purposes.’
Regulation (EC) No 689/2008
the European Parliament and of
the Council of 17 June 2008
concerning the export and
import of dangerous chemicals
Mercury compounds, including inorganic mercury compounds, alkyl mercury compounds and
alkyloxyalkyl and aryl mercury compounds are included in the Regulation's list of chemicals
subject to export notification procedure, Annex I, Part 1 and Part 3.
Cosmetic soaps containing mercury are subject to an export ban according to Annex V, Part 2.
Regulation (EU) No 649/2012 of
the European Parliament and of
the Council of 4 July 2012
concerning the export and
import of hazardous chemicals
Mercury compounds except compounds exported for research and development, medical or
analysis purposes: Cinnabar ore, mercury (I) chloride (Hg 2 Cl 2 , CAS No 10112-91-1), mercury
(II) oxide (HgO, CAS No 21908-53-2); CN code 2852 00 00.
Metallic mercury and mixtures of metallic mercury with other substances, including alloys of
mercury, with a mercury concentration of at least 95 % weight by weight. CAS No 7439-97-6 CN
code 2805 40.
Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009
on cosmetic products
Mercury and its compounds are included in list of substances prohibited in cosmetic products.
However two mercury containing compounds may be legally used in cosmetic products, within
certain threshold concentrations: Phenyl Mercuric Acetate and Thimerosal
The regulation replaces Regulation (EC) No 689/2008 with effect as of 1 March 2014. In
addition to the above mentioned, it includes the following export bans:
Implements the Rotterdam convention in the EU, and includes additional provisions for EU
Member States.
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Legal instrument*1
Requirements as concerns mercury (includes amendments to the parent
instruments)
Directive 2011/65/EU on the
restriction of the use of certain
hazardous substances in
electrical and electronic
equipment (recast) [RoHS
Directive]
Danish Statutory Order on the
limitation of import, marketing
and manufacture for eksport
within the EU of electric and
electronic appliances.
Bekendtgørelse om
begrænsning af import og salg
samt fremstilling til eksport
inden for EU af elektrisk og
elektronisk udstyr, der
indeholder visse farlige stoffe,r
BEK nr 284 of 24/03/2011(as
later amended by BEK nr. 1041
of 30/10/2012)
New electrical and electronic equipment put on the market shall not contain mercury in
concentrations over 0.1 w% in electrical equipment.
Exceptions are (exemption number in brackets):
(1) Mercury in (compact) fluorescent tubes with one holder, maximum (per burner):
(1.a) For general lightning purposes < 30W: 2,5 mg per burner
(1.b) For general lightning purposes ≥ 30W, but < 50 W: 3,5 mg
per burner
(1.c) For general lightning purposes ≥ 50W, but < 150 W: 5 mg
(1.d) For general lightning purposes ≥ 150W: 15 mg
(1.e) For general lightning purposes of circular or squared form and
with tube diameter ≤ 17mm
:
7 mg per burner
(1.f) For specific purposes: 5 mg
(2.a) Mercury in linear fluorescent tubes with two holders for general lightning purposes,
maximum (per tube):
(2.a.1) Three-powder-tubes with normal lifetime and tube diameter < 9 mm (fx T2): 3 mg per
burner
(2.a.2) Three-powder-tubes
with normal lifetime and tube diameter ≥ 9 mm, but ≤ 17 mm (fx
T5): 3.5 mg per tube
(2.a.3) Three-powder-tubes
with normal lifetime and tube diameter > 17 mm, but ≤ 28 mm (fx
T8): 3.5 mg per tube
(2.a.4) Three-powder-tubes with normal lifetime and tube diameter > 28 mm (fx T12): 5.5
mgper tube
(2.a.5) Three-powder-tubes
with long lifetime (≥ 25 000 hours):
5 mg per tube
(2.b) Mercury in other fluorescent tubes, maximum (per tube):
(2.b.3) Non-linear three-powder-tubes with tube diameter > 17 mm (fx T9): 15 mg per tube
(2.b.4) Light sources for other general lightning purposes and specific purposes (fx induction
light sources): 15 mg per tube
(3) Mercury in cold cathode fluorescent tubes (CCFL) or fluorescent tubes with external
electrodes (EEFL) for special purposes, maximum (per tube)
(3.a) Short (≤ 500 mm):
3,5 mg per tube
(3.b) Average (> 500 mm and ≤ 1500 mm):
5 mg per tube
(3.c) Long (> 1500 mm): 13 mg per tube may be used after 31. December 2011)
(4.a) Mercury in other low-pressure discharge tubes (per tube) (15 mg per tube may be used
after 31. December 2011)
(4.b) Mercury in high-pressure sodium lamps for general lightning purposes not above (per
burner) in light source with improved colour rendering Ra > 60:
(4.b.1) P ≤ 155W (No application limitation until 31. December 2011;
30 mg per tube may be
used after 31. December 2011)
(4.b.2) 155W < P ≤ 405 W (No application limitation until 31. December 2011; 40 mg per tube
may be used after 31. December 2011)
(4.b.3) P > 405W (No application limitation until 31. December 2011; 40 mg per tube may be
used after 31. December 2011)
(4.c) Mercury in other high-pressure sodium lamps for general lightning purposes not above
(per burner):
(4.c.1) P ≤ 155W (No application limitation until 31. December 2011; 25 mg per tube may be
used after 31. December 2011)
(4.c.2) 155W < P ≤ 405 W (No application limitation until 31. December 2011; 30 mg per tube
may be used after 31. December 2011)
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Legal instrument*1
Requirements as concerns mercury (includes amendments to the parent
instruments)
(4.c.3) P > 405W (No application limitation until 31. December 2011; 40 mg per tube may be
used after 31. December 2011)
(4.d) Mercury in other high-pressure mercury lamps (HPMV) (Expires 13. April 2015)
(4.e) Mercury in metal halide lamps (MH)
(4.f) Mercury in other discharge lamps for specific purposes, which are not mentioned in this
appendix
(36) Mercury applied as cathode nebulizer inhibitor in direct-current plasma screen, up to 30
mg per screen (Expires 1. July 2010)
For medical equipment and monitoring and regulation equipment:
(1) Mercury in detectors for ionising radiation.
(1.c) Mercury in IR-detectors.
(1.d) Mercury in reference electrodes: mercury chloride with low chloride content, mercury
sulphate and mercury oxide.
(16) Mercury in capacitance and dissipation factor measuring circuit with very high precision
and in high frequency RF-connection and relay in monitoring and regulation equipment, which
do not exceed 20 mg mercury per connection or relay.
Directive 2000/53/EC of the
European Parliament and of the
Council on end-of-life vehicles
[ELV Directive]
Member States shall ensure that materials and components of
vehicles put on the market after 1 July 2003 do not contain lead,
mercury, cadmium or hexavalent chromium other than in cases
listed in Annex II under the conditions specified therein. Discharge lamps and instrument panel
displays are exempted with no end data, and should be labelled. A maximum concentration
value up to 0,1 % by weight and per homogeneous material, for mercury shall be tolerated.
Danish Statutory Order on
limitation of import, marketing
and manufacturing within the
EU and EFTA of vehicles
containing certain hazardous
substances
Bekendtgørelse om
begrænsning af import, salg
samt fremstilling til eksport
inden for EU og til EFTA-lande
af person- og varebiler m.v.,
der indeholder visse farlige
stoffer
BEK nr 1257 af 11/12/2008
Council Directive 88/378/EEC
on the approximation of the
laws of the Member States
concerning the safety of toys
Part of this Directive was repealed in July 2011. The Directive is to be completely repealed by 20
July 2013 - please see below. Changes have been made in 11/01/2013, but they only impact the
limit values for cadmium.
Danish Statutory Order on
safety requirements for toys and
products, which due to
appearence can be mistaken for
Bioavailability of mercury resulting from the use of toys must not, as an objective, exceed the
following levels per day: 0.5 µg/day.
The Danish Statutory order specifies that the exemptions are valid only for cars of types
approved before 1 July 2012, and spare parts for the same.
Treatment operations for depollution of end-of-life vehicles: — Removal, as far as feasible, of all
components identified as containing mercury.
Survey of mercury and mercury compounds
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1976967_0030.png
Legal instrument*1
Requirements as concerns mercury (includes amendments to the parent
instruments)
foods
Bekendtgørelse om
sikkerhedskrav til legetøj og
produkter, som på grund af
deres ydre fremtræden kan
forveksles med levnedsmidler
BEK nr 1116 af 12/12/2003
(Legetøjsbekendtgørelsen)
Directive 2009/48/EC relating
to toy safety
Danish Statutory Order on
safety requirements for toys
Bekendtgørelse om
sikkerhedskrav til
legetøjsprodukter
BEK nr 13 af 10/01/2011
Limit values for mercury in toys (Commission Directive 2012/7/EU of 2 March 2012 to be
adopted by 2o Jan. 2013 at the latest):
- in dry, brittle, power-like or pliable toy material: 7.5 mg/kg
- in liquid or sticky toy material: 1.9 mg/kg
- in scrapped-off toy material: 94 mg/kg
Directive 2006/66/EC of the
European Parliament and of the
Council of 6 September 2006 on
batteries and accumulators and
waste batteries and
accumulators
Prohibition of all batteries or accumulators, including those incorporated into appliances that
contain more than 0,0005 % of mercury by weight, except for button cell batteries, which may
contain up to 2% mercury by weight.
Member States shall ensure that:
(a) producers or third parties set up schemes using best available techniques, in terms of the
protection of health and the environment, to provide for the treatment and recycling of waste
batteries and accumulators; and
Danish Statutory order on
import, marketing and export of
batteries and accumulators
Bekendtgørelse om import og
salg samt eksport af batterier
og akkumulatorer
BEK nr 943 af 23/09/2008
(b) all identifiable batteries and accumulators collected in accordance with Article 8 of this
Directive or with Directive2002/96/EC undergo treatment and recycling through schemes
that comply, as a minimum, with Community legislation, in particular as regards health,
safety and waste management.
However, Member States may, in accordance with the Treaty, dispose of collected portable
batteries or accumulators containing cadmium, mercury or lead in landfills or underground
storage when no viable end market is available. Member States may also, in accordance with the
Treaty, dispose of collected portable batteries or accumulators containing cadmium, mercury or
Danish Statutory order on
batteries and accumulators
including spent batteries and
accumulators (regarding
recycling of the batteries)
Bekendtgørelse om batterier og
akkumulatorer og udtjente
batterier og akkumulatorer
BEK nr 1186 af 07/12/2009
lead in landfills or underground storage as part of a strategy to phase out heavy metals which, on
the basis of a detailed assessment of the environmental, economic, and social impacts, shows
that this disposal option should be preferred over recycling
Batteries, accumulators and button cells containing more than 0,0005 % mercury shall be
marked with the chemical symbol for mercury: Hg.
Directive 94/62/EC of 20
The sum of concentration levels of lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium present in
30
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Legal instrument*1
Requirements as concerns mercury (includes amendments to the parent
instruments)
December 1994 on packaging
and packaging waste
packaging or packaging components shall not exceed 100 ppm by weight.
The concentration levels referred to in paragraph 1 shall not apply to packaging entirely made of
lead crystal glass as defined in Directive 69/493/EEC (1).
Danish Statutory Order on
certain requirements for
packaging
Bekendtgørelse om visse krav
til emballager
BEK nr 1049 af 10/11/2011
Danish Statutory Order:
Bekendtgørelse om
begrænsning i anvendelse af
visse farlige kemiske stoffer og
produkter til specielt angivne
formål
BEK nr 857 af 05/09/2009
Danish law on chemicals
Kemikalieloven
LBK nr 878 af 26/06/2010
Danish Statutory Order stipulates in addition:
Mercury may not be added intentionally in the production of plastic boxes or pallets.
By derogation of the general requirements, glass packaging may be used if the sum of the
substances does not exceed 250 ppm in weight, in glass packaging based on recycled glass where
the substances are not intentionally added.
Mercury and mercury compounds may not be used in chemical substances or products intended
for painting, lacquer or alike purposes in concentrations above 0,0001 pct. This is not applicable
for mercuric sulphide (cinnabar).
According to §24, very toxic and toxic substances (including mercury compounds) may only be
sold with prior written permit by the police (case by case). The individual permit shall include
information of the intended purpose of the substance or article/mixture. General exemptions
are given in the law to the health sector, higher educational institutions, accredited laboratories,
and a number of other specified sectors.
Statutory order on the labeling
etc. of medicals.
Bekendtgørelse om mærkning
m.m. af lægemidler, BEK nr 869
af 21/07/2011
Statutory order on Danish
standards for medicals.
Bekendtgørelse om Danske
Lægemiddelstandarder 2012.21,
BEK nr 707 af 19/06/2012
Legislation addressing waste
Regulation (EC) No 1102/2008
of 22 October 2008
on the banning of exports of
metallic mercury and certain
mercury compounds and
mixtures and the
safe storage of metallic mercury
Provisions for labelling of thiomersal phenylmercurynitrate/acetate/borate with possible risks
related to exposures via different use of medicals.
Mercuric chloride, Phenylmercuric acetate, Phenylmercuric borate, Thiomersal and
Phenylmercuric nitrate are listed in the statutory order.
1. The export of metallic mercury (Hg, CAS RN 7439-97-6), cinnabar ore, mercury (I) chloride
(Hg2Cl2, CAS RN 10112-91-1), mercury (II) oxide (HgO, CAS RN 21908-53-2) and mixtures of
metallic mercury with other substances, including alloys of mercury, with a mercury
concentration of at least 95 % weight by weight from the Community shall be prohibited from
15 March 2011.
2. The prohibition shall not apply to exports of compounds referred to in paragraph 1 for
research and development, medical or analysis purposes.
3. The mixing of metallic mercury with other substances for the sole purpose of export of
metallic mercury shall be prohibited from 15 March 2011.
From 15 March 2011, the following shall be considered as waste and be disposed of in
accordance with Directive 2006/12/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April
Survey of mercury and mercury compounds
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1976967_0032.png
Legal instrument*1
Requirements as concerns mercury (includes amendments to the parent
instruments)
2006 on
waste in a way that is safe for human health and the environment:
(a) metallic mercury that is no longer used in the chlor-alkali industry;
(b) metallic mercury gained from the cleaning of natural gas;
(c) metallic mercury gained from non-ferrous mining and smelting operations; and
(d) metallic mercury extracted from cinnabar ore in the Community as from 15 March 2011.
By way of derogation from Article 5(3)(a) of Directive 1999/31/EC, metallic mercury that is
considered as waste may, in appropriate containment, be
(a) temporarily stored for more than one year or permanently stored (disposal operations D 15
or D 12 respectively, as defined in Annex II A of Directive 2006/12/EC) in salt mines adapted for
the disposal of metallic mercury, or in deep underground, hard rock formations providing a level
of safety and confinement equivalent to that of those salt mines; or
(b) temporarily stored (disposal operation D 15, as defined in Annex II A of Directive
2006/12/EC) for more than one year in above-ground facilities dedicated to and equipped for
the temporary storage of metallic mercury. In this case, the criteria set out in section 2.4 of the
Annex to Decision 2003/33/EC shall not apply.
Member states shall report to the Commission any permits given to operators of mercury waste
storage facilities and importers, exporters and operators shall report annually to both the
competent authorities of their country and the Commission on amounts, origin, etc. of any
mercury and waste traded. Chlor-alkali facilities shall report annually about their inventory and
trade of mercury, and companies buying mercury from the mentioned sources shall report on
their purchases annually to the to both the competent authorities of their country and the
Commission.
Directive 2011/97/EU
of 5 December 2011
amending Directive 1999/31/EC
as regards specific criteria for
the storage of metallic mercury
considered as waste
Directive 1999/31/EC on the
landfill of waste
Danish Statutory Order:
Bekendtgørelse om
deponeringsanlæg
BEK nr 650 af 29/06/2001 with
later amendments
Regulation (EC) No 1013/2006
on shipments of waste
This Regulation implements the Basel Convention in EU, establishing procedures and control
regimes for the shipment of waste, depending on the origin, destination and route of the
shipment, the type of waste shipped and the type of treatment to be applied to the waste at its
destination.
The Regulation requires e.g. that export of certain waste types (also waste intended for recovery)
shall be prohibited depending on the type of waste and the country of destination. However,
derogations are possible.
Waste subject to export prohibition (included in Annex V) includes:
- Metallic waste and alloys with mercury
A maximum content of mercury at 1 mg/kg TS in the waste is a criterion for a waste type to be
on the positive list for a waste storage plant.
No direct mentioning of mercury in the original Directive, but see amendment above.
The Directive gives specific provisions for the storage of mercury; container requirements,
procedures, etc.
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Legal instrument*1
Requirements as concerns mercury (includes amendments to the parent
instruments)
- Wastes having as constituents or contaminants mercury and mercury compounds
- Waste of electronic and electrical appliances with mercury-switches or other mercury contents
- Mercury containing wastes from petroleum refining, natural gas purification and pyrolytic
treatment of coal
- Wastes from inorganic chemical processes containing mercury
- Waste from gas cleaning in thermal processes containing mercury
- Waste batteries with mercury
- Other unspecified waste containing mercury
- Construction and demolition wastes containing mercury
- Fluorescent tubes and other mercury-containing waste
Council Directive 86/278/EEC
on the protection of the
environment, and in particular
of the soil, when sewage sludge
is used in agriculture
Danish Statutory Orders
Bekendtgørelse om anvendelse
af affald til jordbrugsformål
(Slambekendtgørelsen)
BEK nr 1650 af 13/12/2006
Bekendtgørelse om tilsyn med
spildevandsslam m.m. til
jordbrugsformål BEK nr 56 af
24/01/2000
Sets the frequency of analysis and control
Danish Statutory order: Limit value for mercury in sludge for use in agriculture :
0.8 mg/kg dw;
Limit values for mercury in soil to which sludge is applied: 1 - 1.5 mg/kg dw.
Limit value for mercury concentration in sludge for use in agriculture: 16 - 25 mg/kg dw.
Limit value for amounts of mercury added annually to agricultural land based on 10-years
average: 0.1 kg/ha/year .
Danish Statutory Order:
Bekendtgørelse om anvendelse
af restprodukter og jord til
bygge- og anlægsarbejder og
om anvendelse af sorteret,
uforurenet bygge- og
anlægsaffald
BEK nr 1662 af 21/12/2010
Danish Statutory Order:
Bekendtgørelse om anvendelse
af bioaske til jordbrugsformål
(Bioaskebekendtgørelsen)
BEK nr 818 af 21/07/2008
Limit values of mercury in residual products and earth to be used in construction, etc. in three
categories:
1: 0-1 mg/kgDW and 0-0,1 µg/L eluate
2: >1 mg/kgDW and 0-0,1 µg/L eluate
3: >1 mg/kgDW and 0,1-1 µg/L eluate
Limit values for mercury in bio-ash used in agriculture and watery extract is 0.8 mg/kg dm.
Soil quality limit values for mercury is 0.5 mg/kg dm in soil.
Mercury can be left out of analysis if the ash-producer can document that the previous 5 tests
have been below 50% of the limit values.
Danish Statutory Order:
Bekendtgørelse om anlæg, der
forbrænder affald
BEK nr 1451 af 20/12/2012
Limit value for mercury in flue gas from waste incineration: 0,05 mg/normal m
3
Limit value for mercury in waste water from flue gas cleaning: 0.03 mg/L
Survey of mercury and mercury compounds
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1976967_0034.png
Legal instrument*1
Requirements as concerns mercury (includes amendments to the parent
instruments)
Transposes part of the
provisions of Directive
2010/75/EU on industrial
emissions (see below)
Danish Statutory Order:
Bekendtgørelse om anmeldelse
og dokumentation i forbindelse
med flytning af jord
BEK nr 1479 af 12/12/2007
(Jordflytningsbekendtgørelsen)
Legislation addressing emissions
Regulation (EC) No 166/2006
concerning the establishment of
a European Pollutant Release
and Transfer Register and
amending Council Directives
91/689/EEC and 96/61/EC
(PRTR Regulation)
Directive 2010/75/EU on
industrial emissions (integrated
pollution prevention
and control)
(Recast)
For combustion plants firing coal or lignite, the emissions of total mercury shall be measured at
least once per year.
Air emission limit values for waste incineration plants for mercury and its compounds,
expressed as mercury (Hg): 0.05 nm/Nm3
Emission limit values for discharges of waste water from the cleaning of waste gases from waste
incineration and waste co-incineration for mercury and its compounds, expressed as mercury
(Hg): 0.03 mg/l. Mercury emission limits set in BAT conclusions shall be binding maximum
limits.
Danish Statutory Order on
environmental permissions,
Appendix 5
Bekendtgørelse nr. 486 af 25.
maj 2012, bilag 5
(Godkendelsesbekendtgørelsen)
Directive 2004/107/EC relating
to arsenic, cadmium, mercury,
nickel and polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons in ambient air
Require that that ambient air quality is maintained where it is good and that it is improved in
other cases.
Determine common methods and criteria for the assessment of concentrations of mercury in
ambient air and deposition.
Standard conditions for crematoria: Filter retaining dust and mercury is required on all
crematoria and an emission limit applies for mercury: 0.1 mg/normal m
3
.
Releases of mercury and mercury compounds shall be reported by operators with activities
above a certain activity threshold, if the releases are above a certain threshold releases:
To air: 1o kg/year
To water: 1 kg/year
To land: 1 kg/year
Stipulates rules for notification and documentation when soil containing mercury and other
hazardous substances above the limit values is displaced under certain conditions.
Limit values:
Category 1: </= 1 mg/kg dw.
Category 1: </= 3 mg/kg dw.
Danish Statutory Order:
Bekendtgørelse om vurdering
og styring af luftkvaliteten
BEK nr 1326 af 21/12/2011
(Luftkvalitetsbekendtgørelsen)
Guideline on air emissions
Luftvejledningen
Danish Statutory Order: Deadline for assessment of measure 31 December 2012.
The guideline gives guidance for the environmental authorities on the establishment of
environmental permits for individual industrial facilities. The guideline gives examples of
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Legal instrument*1
Requirements as concerns mercury (includes amendments to the parent
instruments)
VEJ nr 12415 af 01/01/2001
emission thresholds for mercury to air (1g/hour, 0.1 mg/normal m3 and immission contribution
value ("B-value") of 0,00001 mg/m3 to local air. The guideline in itself does not have legal
status, but the individual environmental permits established based on the guideline have legal
status. The actual permits may have other thresholds for mercury taking into account local
conditions.
Danish Statutory order on
(environmental) permits of
listed enterprises
Bekendtgørelse om godkendelse
af listevirksomhed
BEK nr 486 af 25/05/2012 with
later amendments
Directive 2008/105/EC of 16
December 2008 on
environmental quality
standards in the field of water
policy (the Water framework
Directive)
Implemented by Danish
statutory orders:
The Order sets requirements for establishment of environmental permits for enterprises of types
with potentially significant releases. The order mentions specifically for mercury:
Specific measurement standards are mentioned for control of mercury releases.
Rules for sorting and containment of hazardous waste from mercury containing lamps and other
mercury containing waste.
Mercury and its compounds are identified as priority hazardous substance in the Directive.
Specific environmental quality standards (EQS) for mercury and its compounds . AA: annual
average; MAC: maximum allowable concentration; Unit: μg/L:
AA-EQS (2)
Inland surface
waters (3)
0.05 *1
AA-EQS (2)
Other surface
Waters
0,05*1
MAC-EQS (4)
Inland surface
waters (3)
0.07
MAC-EQS (4)
Other surface
waters
0.07
AA: Annual average concentration; MAC: maximum allowable concentration. Note *1: If
Member States do not apply EQS for biota they shall introduce stricter EQS for water in order to
achieve the same level of protection as the EQS for biota set out in Article 3(2) of this Directive
and they shall notify the Comission of the selected EQS and the reasons for its selection.
Member States may opt to apply EQS for sediment and/or biota instead of those laid down in
Part A of Annex I in certain categories of surface water. Member States that apply this option
shall apply, for mercury and its compounds, an EQS of 20 μg/kg […], these EQS being for prey
tissue (wet weight), choosing the most appropriate indicator from among fish, molluscs,
crustaceans and other biota.
Bekendtgørelse om
miljøkvalitetskrav for
vandområder og krav til
udledning af forurenende
stoffer til vandløb, søer eller
havet
BEK nr 1022 af 25/08/2010
Stipulates the rules for establishment of reference conditions and environmental targets for
surface water bodies. Indicates mercury as a substance for which establishment of threshold
values should be considered.
Bekendtgørelse om fastsættelse
af miljømål for vandløb, søer,
kystvande, overgangsvande og
grundvand
BEK nr 1433 af 06/12/2009
Bekendtgørelse om
Sets action levels by quality control and requirements regarding the quality of analyses.
In the Danish statutory order "BEK nr 1022 af 25/08/2010", mercury is indicated as prioritised
in EU policy in Annex 1 ("Bilag 1"). In Annex 3, giving EU-EQS's for surface waters, the general
EQS for marine and freshwaters is 0.05 µg/l, and for short time 0.07 µg/l. For biota (the most
suitable indicator species), the EQS is 20 µg/kg wet weight.
Survey of mercury and mercury compounds
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1976967_0036.png
Legal instrument*1
Requirements as concerns mercury (includes amendments to the parent
instruments)
kvalitetskrav til miljømålinger
BEK nr 900 af 17/08/2011
Directive 2006/118/EC on the
protection of groundwater
against pollution and
deterioration
Danish Statutory Order:
Bekendtgørelse nr 1434 af
06/12/2009 om overvågning af
overfladevand, grundvand,
beskyttede områder og om
naturovervågning i
internationale
naturbeskyttelsesområder mv.
Directive 2006/113/EC on the
quality required of shellfish
waters (codified version)
Danish Statutory Order:
Bekendtgørelse om
kvalitetskrav for skaldyrvande
BEK nr 38 af 19/01/2011
Bekendtgørelse af lov om
beskyttelse af havmiljøet
(Havmiljøloven)
BEK nr 929 af 24/09/2009
Requires MS to consider establishing threshold values for groundwater. The provided
"Minimum list of pollutants and their indicators for which Member States have to consider
establishing threshold values in accordance with Article 3" includes mercury.
Establish rules for monitoring of groundwater
Sets quality values for shellfish waters for mercury and other substances
Mercury and mercury compounds may only be found in insignificant amounts and
concentrations in dredging material.
REGULATION ADDRESSING FOOD AND FEED
Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006
setting maximum levels for
certain contaminants in
foodstuffs
Fishery products ( 26 ) and muscle meat of fish ( 24 ) ( 25 ), excluding species listed below. The
maximum level for crustaceans applies to muscle meat from appendages and abdomen ( 44 ). In
case of crabs and crab-like crustaceans (Brachyura and Anomura) it applies to muscle meat from
appendages: 0.5 mg/kg wet weight.
Muscle meat of the following fish (24) (25): 1 mg/kg wet weight:
Muscle meat of the following fish ( 24 ) ( 25 ): anglerfish (Lophius species) Atlantic catfish
(Anarhichas
lupus)
bonito (Sarda
sarda)
eel (Anguilla species) emperor, orange roughy, rosy
soldierfish (Hoplostethus species) grenadier (Coryphaenoides
rupestris)
halibut (Hippoglossus
hippoglossus)
kingklip (Genypterus
capensis)
marlin (Makaira species) megrim
(Lepidorhombus
species)
mullet (Mullus species) pink cusk eel (Genypterus
blacodes)
pike
(Esox
lucius)
plain bonito (Orcynopsis
unicolor)
poor cod (Tricopterus
minutes)
Portuguese
dogfish (Centroscymnus
coelolepis)
rays (Raja species) redfish (Sebastes
marinus, S. mentella,
S. viviparus)
sail fish (Istiophorus
platypterus)
scabbard fish (Lepidopus
caudatus, Aphanopus
carbo)
seabream, pandora (Pagellus species) shark (all species) snake mackerel or butterfish
(Lepidocybium
flavobrunneum, Ruvettus pretiosus, Gempylus serpens)
sturgeon (Acipenser
Sets maximum levels for mercury in a number of aquatic foodstuffs and food supplements.
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Legal instrument*1
Requirements as concerns mercury (includes amendments to the parent
instruments)
species) swordfish (Xiphias
gladius)
tuna (Thunnus species,
Euthynnus
species,
Katsuwonus
pelamis)
Food supplements ( 39 ):
0,10 mg/kg wet weight
Directive 2002/32/EC on
undesirable substances in
animal feed as regards lead,
fluorine and cadmium
Danish Statutory Order:
Bekendtgørelse om foder og
foderstofvirksomheder
BEK nr
1360 af 15/12/2005 (with later
amanedments)
Regulation 396/2005
of 23 February 2005
on maximum residue levels of
pesticides in or on food and feed
of plant and animal origin and
amending Council Directive
91/414/EEC
REGULATION ADDRESSING THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT
Directive 98/24/EC and
amending Commission
Directive 2000/39/EC on the
protection of the health and
safety of workers from the risks
related to chemical agents at
work, as amended with
Directive 2009/161/EU
of 17 December 2009
Danish Statutory Order;
Bekendtgørelse om ændring af
bekendtgørelse om
grænseværdier for stoffer og
materialer
BEK nr 1134 af 01/12/2011
Danish Statutory order:
Bekendtgørelse om arbejde med
stoffer og materialer med
senere ændringer
BEK nr 292 af 26/04/2001
This Statutory Order applies to any work with substances and materials, including their
manufacture, use and handling. The Order demands the employer to ensure that dangerous
substances and materials at the workplace are eliminated, replaced or reduced to a minimum.
Limit values:
Mercury and inorganic compounds, incl. vapour: 0.02 mg/m3 (as Hg)
Alkylmercury compounds: 0.01 mg/m3 (as Hg)
Other organic mercury compounds: 0.05 mg/m3 (as Hg)
Establish indicative occupational exposure limits for chemical agents. Specific values for
mercury are listed in Directive 2009/161/EU : Mercury and divalent inorganic mercury
compounds including mercuric oxide and mercuric chloride (measured as mercury): 0,02
mg/m3.
The regulation sets maximum limits for pesticide (including mercury) concentrations in/on
vegetable and animal food and feed.
Sets maximum content of mercury in different types of feed stuff
Directive 2004/37/EF (Cancer
Directive)
Methylmercury compounds and methylmercurychloride are covered.
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Legal instrument*1
Requirements as concerns mercury (includes amendments to the parent
instruments)
Danish Statutory Order;
Arbejdstilsynets
kræftbekendtgørelse (Measures
to protect workers from the
risks related to exposure to
carcinogenic substances and
materials at work)
BEK nr 908 af 27 september
2005 and later amendments
Danish Statutory Order;
Bekendtgørelse om unges
arbejde
BEK 239 af 6. april 2005,
implementing Directive
1994/33/EC
Directive 92/85/EEC of 19
October 1992 on the
introduction of measures to
encourage improvements in the
safety and health at work of
pregnant workers and workers
who have recently given birth or
are breastfeeding
Article 4: Assessment and information: 1. For all activities liable to involve a specific risk of
exposure to the agents, processes or working conditions of which a non-exhaustive list is given
in Annex I, the employer shall assess the nature, degree and duration of exposure, in the
undertaking and/or establishment concerned, of workers within the meaning of Article 2, either
directly or by way of the protective and preventive services referred to in Article 7 of Directive
89/391/EEC, in order to: - assess any risks to the safety or health and any possible effect on the
pregnancys or breastfeeding of workers within the meaning of Article 2; - decide what measures
should be taken.
Mercury and mercury compounds are on the list in the Directives Annex I.
Young people below age 18 are not allowed to work with specified substances, including such
that are covered by BEK nr 908 af 27 september 2005 with later amendments; i.e. including
methylmercury compounds and methylmercurychloride
*1
2.1.2
Un-official translation of name of Danish legal instruments.
Classification and labelling
Harmonised classification in the EU
Substances and mixtures placed on the market in EU shall be classified, labelled and packaged
according to the CLP regulation (1272/2008/EC). According to Annex VI of the CLP regulation,
mercury and all mercury compounds have a classification; either as specific for a number of
individual substances, or as a general classification of "other inorganic mercury compounds" or of
"other organic mercury compounds". An exception is mercuric sulphide (cinnabar), which -
according to the annex - is not classified. The classification of mercury and mercury compounds is
shown in Table 7 below.
TABLE 10
HARMONISED CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO ANNEX VI OF REGULATION (EC) NO 1272/2008 (CLP
REGULATION)
Index No
International
Chemical
Identification
CAS No
Classification
Hazard Class and
Category Code(s) *1
Hazard statement
Code(s) *2
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Index No
International
Chemical
Identification
CAS No
Classification
Hazard Class and
Category Code(s) *1
Hazard statement
Code(s) *2
H360D***
H330
H372**
H400
H410
H330
H310
H300
H373 **
H400
H410
H302
H319
H335
H315
H400
H410
H330
H310
H300
H373 **
H400
H410
H200
H331
H311
H301
H373 **
H400
H410
H201
H331
H311
H301
H373 **
H400
H410
H201
H331
H311
H301
H373**
H400
H410
080-001-00-0
Mercury
7439-97-6
Repr. 1B
Acute Tox. 2 *
STOT RE 1
Aquatic Acute 1
Aquatic Chronic 1
080-002-00-6
Inorganic compounds
of mercury with the
exception of mercuric
sulphide and those
specified elsewhere in
this Annex
-
Acute Tox. 2 *
Acute Tox. 1
Acute Tox. 2 *
STOT RE 2 *
Aquatic Acute 1
Aquatic Chronic 1
080-003-00-1
Dimercury
dichloride;
mercurous chloride;
calomel
10112-91-1
Acute Tox. 4 *
Eye Irrit. 2
STOT SE 3
Skin Irrit. 2
Aquatic Acute 1
Aquatic Chronic 1
080-004-00-7
Organic compounds
of mercury with the
exception of those
specified elsewhere in
this Annex
-
Acute Tox. 2 *
Acute Tox. 1
Acute Tox. 2 *
STOT RE 2 *
Aquatic Acute 1
Aquatic Chronic 1
080-005-00-2
Mercury difulminate;
mercuric fulminate;
fulminate of mercury
628-86-4
Unst. Expl.
Acute Tox. 3 *
Acute Tox. 3 *
Acute Tox. 3 *
STOT RE 2 *
Aquatic Acute 1
Aquatic Chronic 1
080-005-01-X
Mercury difulminate;
mercuric fulminate;
fulminate of mercury
[≥ 20 %
phlegmatiser]
628-86-4
Expl. 1.1
Acute Tox. 3 *
Acute Tox. 3 *
Acute Tox. 3 *
STOT RE 2 *
Aquatic Acute 1
Aquatic Chronic 1
080-006-00-8
Dimercury dicyanide
oxide; mercuric
oxycyanide
1335-31-5
Expl. 1.1
Acute Tox. 3 *
Acute Tox. 3 *
Acute Tox. 3 *
STOT RE 2
Aquatic Acute 1
Aquatic Chronic 1
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Index No
International
Chemical
Identification
CAS No
Classification
Hazard Class and
Category Code(s) *1
Hazard statement
Code(s) *2
H330
H310
H300
H373 **
H400
H410
H301
H372 **
H314
H400
H410
080-007-00-3
Dimethylmercury; [1]
diethylmercury [2]
593-74-8 [1]
627-44-1 [2]
Acute Tox. 2 *
Acute Tox. 1
Acute Tox. 2 *
STOT RE 2 *
Aquatic Acute 1
Aquatic Chronic 1
080-008-00-9
phenylmercury
nitrate; [1]
phenylmercury
hydroxide; [2]
basic phenylmercury
nitrate [3]
55-68-5 [1]
100-57-2 [2]
8003-05-2 [3]
Acute Tox. 3 *
STOT RE 1
Skin Corr. 1B
Aquatic Acute 1
Aquatic Chronic 1
080-009-00-4
2-methoxy-
ethylmercury
chloride
123-88-6
Acute Tox. 3 *
STOT RE 1
Skin Corr. 1B
Aquatic Acute 1
Aquatic Chronic 1
H301
H372 **
H314
H400
H410
H341
H361f***
H300
H372**
H314
H400
H410
H301
H372 **
H314
H400
H410
080-010-00-X
mercury dichloride;
mercuric chloride
7487-94-7
Muta. 2
Repr. 2
Acute Tox. 2 *
STOT RE 1
Skin Corr. 1B
Aquatic Acute 1
Aquatic Chronic 1
080-011-00-5
phenylmercury
acetate
62-38-4
Acute Tox. 3 *
STOT RE 1
Skin Corr. 1B
Aquatic Acute 1
Aquatic Chronic 1
*1 Use of "*" in connection with a hazard category (e.g. Acute Tox. 4 * ) implies that the category stated shall
be considered as a minimum classification.
*2 Use of "**" in connection with a hazard statement code (e.g. H373** ) implies that the route of exposure is
not specified.
*3 Use of "***" in connection with a hazard statement code (e.g. H373** ) implies a hazard statement for
reproductive toxicity.
Substances that have a harmonised classification as carcinogenic, mutagenic or reproductive
toxicity in Cat 1A or 1B must not be used in substances or mixtures placed on the market for sale to
the general public According to REACH Annex XVII. This is the case for elemental mercury, which,
among others, is classified as Repr. 1B.
Self-classification
In the light of the full coverage of mercury and mercury compounds in the harmonised
classification, no efforts were made here to describe any self-classifications made by industry.
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2.1.3
REACH
This section concerns registration and pipeline activities under REACH, whereas existing
regulations are included in Table 6 above.
Information on mercury compounds registered by ECHA
According to ECHA's list of registered chemical substances (downloadable xls format file, dated 13
June 2013; ECHA, 2013a), only one mercury substance is currently registered, namely elemental
mercury.
An extract of ECHA's list of pre-registered substances (ECHA, 2013b) with all substance with the
search string "mercu" in them, is shown in nnex 1.
102 pre-registered substances were due for registration 30 November 2010 (while elemental
mercury was actually registered; ECHA, 2013b), whereas 86 pre-registered substances/mixes are
due for registration by 31 May 2013, and 12 are due for registration by 31 May 2008.
According to ECHA, their database on registered substances should as of June 2013 include:
•
•
Substances manufactured or imported at 100 tonnes or more per year (deadline 31st May
2013),
Substances which are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction with manufacture or
import above 1 tonne per year (mercury and most of its compounds; deadline for registration
was 30 November 2010).
Community Rolling Action Plan (CoRAP)
The Community Rolling Action Plan (CoRAP) is a tool for coordination of substance evaluation
between EU member states, indicating when a given substance is expected to be evaluated and by
whom (Appendix 1). As of march 2013 there are no mercury compounds in CoRAP.
Registry of Intentions
Table 8 shows Registry of Intentions by ECHA and Member States’ authorities for Substances of
Very High Concern (SVHC). It shows any intentions for introducing further restrictions on the
import, use and marketing of mercury compounds, any harmonised classification and labelling
proposals submitted for mercury compounds, and any intentions for proposing mercury
compounds as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC).
TABLE 11
MERCURY COMPOUNDS IN REGISTRY OF INTENTIONS (AS OF MARCH 2013)
Registry of:
CAS No
Substances
Scope (reproduced as
indicated in the Registry of
intentions)
Harmonised Classification and Labelling intentions
Annex XV
dossiers
submitted
115-09-3
Methylmercuric
chloride
Proposed classification
according to DSD: Acute
toxicity, Repeated dose toxicity,
Carcinogenicity, Mutagenicity –
Genetic toxicity, Toxicity to
reproduction – fertility, Toxicity
to reproduction – development,
Toxicity to reproduction –
Breastfed babies
Proposed classification
according to CLP: Acute
France
Submitted:
13/07/2011
Dossier
intended
by:
Expected date of
submission:
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toxicity, Germ cell mutagenicity,
Carcinogenicity, Reproductive
toxicity, STOT-RE
Withdrawn intentions
Harmonised
Classification
and
Labelling
intentions
22967-92-6
Methylmercury
Notified:
03/03/2011
Withdrawn:
19/08/2011
Candidate list
As of March 2013, no mercury compounds have been included in the candidate list (ECHA, 2013c).
Annex XIV recommendations
According to the latest lists of Annex XIV recommendations (17 January 2013), no mercury
compounds are included in the list.
2.1.4
Other legislation/initiatives
Revision of the Statutory order on mercury ("Kviksølvbekendgørelsen")
A proposal for update of the Statutory order no. 627 of 1 July 2003 on prohibition of import, sale
and export of mercury and mercury-containing products (Bekendtgørelse om forbud mod import,
salg og eksport af kviksølv og kviksølvholdige produkter, BEK nr 627 af 01/07/2003, as later
amended) was submitted for public consultation in early 2013 (Consultation dissemination from
the Danish EPA dated 13th February 2013). The proposed update specifies the exemptions for the
use of dental amalgam further to certain situations.
The EU community strategy on mercury
The mercury strategy pinpoints in 20 prioritised actions the major remaining possibilities for
reductions of mercury pollution, cutting supply and demand and protecting against exposure,
especially to methylmercury found in fish. Among the actions, several pertain to the input to the
process of creating a legally binding global treaty on mercury and otherwise supporting mercury
reductions globally. The strategy can be considered a concise and ambitious plan for mercury policy
in the Union (EC, 2005). In 2010, a review of the mercury strategy was published by the European
Commission, and a communication was issued on the progress made (EC, 2010). The
communication states that progress has been made on most actions of the strategy, while additional
focus was needed in a few areas, for example as regards mercury emissions from large sources. To
this end, the IED Directive (see Table 3) gives legal status to limit values and BAT described in the
BREF notes for relevant industries, waste incineration and large combustion plants for which BAT
conclusions are given explicitly.
Guideline on the use of dental fillings
In 2008, a guideline was issued by the Danish Health and Medicines Authority on the use of dental
filling materials (VEJ nr 9670 af 30/09/2008). The guideline specifies in which situations
composite fillings, amalgam and glasionomer fillings are to be used. It specifies that composite
("plastic") fillings can be used for all filling types, and that for new fillings, this material shall be the
primary choice (except in cases where glasionomer is used). Dental amalgam can be used in staying
molars in case where it is clear that this material will last longer. The case are limited to situations
where, the cavity cannot be dried, where the access to the cavity is difficult, where the cavity is
particularly large, or where there is a large distance to the next tooth. Glasionomer is recommended
for a number of situations, including among others preliminary fillings and all fillings in milk teeth.
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Contaminated sites
At present the Danish EPA is funding a project concerning mercury in soil with focus on
investigations made on contaminated sites. The project is carried out together with two Danish
regional authorities. The project gathers data and descriptions about mercury compounds, chemical
reactions in soil, toxicity and limit values of mercury, a description of mercury-contaminated sites,
and a description of analysis techniques in soil and remediation techniques. The project will be
published at the Danish EPA’s website (Danish EPA, 2013a).
Mercury-containing button cell batteries
According to the Danish EPA, the restrictions of mercury-containing button cell batteries will be
tightened further in the EU Batteries Directive with a full ban on mercury-containing button cell
batteries. The revision is expected to be published early 2014 and enter into force in 2015 (date not
confirmed) (Danish EPA, 2013a).
2.2
International agreements
Table 9 gives an overview of how mercury and mercury compounds are addressed in the main
international agreements relevant for Europe and globally. Mercury is on the OSPAR priority list
with intentions of reducing discharges in order to reach near-background concentrations in the
OSPAR maritime area (the North-East Atlantic), and mercury is also targeted in the HELCOM
(Baltic Sea), Barcelona (Mediterranean Sea) and Bucharest (Black Sea) Conventions.
Mercury-containing waste is also addressed by the Basel Convention on the control of
transboundary movements of hazardous wastes as well as by the Rotterdam Convention on prior
informed consent (the PIC-procedure; implemented in the EU as Regulation (EC) No 689/2008
(see Table 3).
The main international development on mercury in the global context is however the resent
creation of a global treaty on reduction of mercury pollution. The negotiations of the treaty were
finalised in January 2013 and the treaty is expected to be opened for signature during 2013 in
Minamata, Japan, the scene of one of the World's worst local pollution incidents caused by mercury.
Accordingly, the treaty will be named the Minamata Convention.
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TABLE 12
MAIN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS ADDRESSING MERCURY AND MERCURY COMPOUNDS
Agreement
Minamata
Convention
(negotiations
finalised in
January 2013,
adoption
expected in
October 2013,
entering into
force when 50
countries have
ratified the
treaty)
•
•
•
•
Substances
Mercury and mercury
compounds (with certain
specifications)
Requirements
The Convention (final draft from INC report, March 2013) includes provisions
on:
•
Supply and trade of mercury: Dedicated mercury mining: No new facilities
to be established; cessation of existing mining within 15 years from entering
into force of the Convention. Retirement of excess mercury from
decommissioned chlor-alkali facilities. Restrictions on export and import of
mercury. Etc.
Mercury-added and products: Ban on the manufacture, import or export of
mercury-added products listed, after specified dates, etc. Exemptions are
allowed, required that the party submits specified documentation.
Manufacturing processes: Parties shall not allow mercury or mercury
compounds in the manufacturing processes listed, after specified dates; etc.
Exemptions are allowed, required that the party submits specified
documentation.
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining: Parties shall reduce, and where
feasible eliminate, the use of mercury in mining and processing; etc.
Emissions to the atmosphere: Set goals for mercury control, and where
feasible, reductions, and where feasible adopt BAT/BEP for specified major
Hg sources, establishment of a national release inventory, etc.
•
Releases to land and water from point sources not addressed in other
provisions of the Convention : Take measures to control releases,
establishment of a national release inventory, etc.
•
•
Environmentally sound intermediate and final storage of mercury and
mercury containing waste, based on guidelines to be developed; etc.
Contaminated sites: Parties shall endeavour to develop strategies for
identifying and assessing contaminated sites, based on guidelines to be
developed, etc.
•
•
•
•
•
Financial resources and technical and implementation assistance
Capacity-building, technical assistance and technology transfer
Health aspects
Awareness-raising, research and monitoring, and communication of
information
A number of administrative issues
A number of specifications are still outstanding in the convention; issues which
need to dealt with by the Conference of the Parties once the Convention has
entered into force; these include, among others development of:
•
•
•
A guideline for national inventories of mercury emissions and releases
A guideline for interim storage of elemental mercury
Principles for monitoring the effect of the Convention
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Agreement
Convention on
Long-range
Transboundary
Air Pollution
(CLRTAP)
Substances
Mercury
Requirements
The convention aims at reducing the emission of air pollutants, and promote
multilateral cooperation in this respect. The emissions and long-range trans-
boundary movements of pollutants are regularly quantified to monitor this work.
The Convention has been extended by eight protocols, including the 1998 Aarhus
Protocol on Heavy Metals, amended twice in 2012. The objective of the protocol
is to reduce emissions of heavy metals caused by anthropogenic activities that are
subject to long-range transboundary atmospheric transport and are likely to have
significant adverse effects on human health or the environment. Each party shall
reduce their atmospheric emissions relative to a selected reference year in the
period 1985-1995, using measures stipulated in the protocol, or other measures
with equal effect. The Protocal (2012 consolidated version) mentions specifically
for mercury, among others:
•
Existing chlor-alkali plants using the mercury cell process shall convert to
use of mercury free technology or close by 31 December 2020; during the
period up until conversion the levels of mercury released by a plant into the
air of 1 g per Mg2 chlorine production capacity apply.
•
•
•
•
New chlor-alkali plants are to be operated mercury free.
Limit value for mercury emissions for waste incineration: 0.05 mg/m³.
Limit value for mercury emissions for co-incineration of waste in
combustion plants and cement production facilities: 0.05 mg/m³.
Limits for mercury contents in alkaline batteries (a) 0.05 % w/w in batteries
for prolonged use in extreme conditions (e.g. temperature below 0° C or
above 50° C, exposed to shocks); and (b) 0.025 per cent of mercury by
weight in all other alkaline manganese batteries.
•
Management solutions for the primary mercury-added products.
Basel
Convention
Mercury
Set out control measures of the movements of hazardous waste incl. of waste
containing mercury between nations, and restricts transfer of hazardous waste
from developed to less developed countries (LDC's; non adopted).
The Convention also intends to minimize the amount and toxicity of wastes
generated, to ensure their environmentally sound management as closely as
possible to the source of generation, and to assist LDCs in environmentally sound
management of the hazardous and other wastes they generate.
A comprehensive guideline to safe mercury waste management was developed
recently under auspices of the convention.
Rotterdam
Convention
Mercury compounds,
including inorganic
mercury compounds,
alkyl mercury
compounds and
alkyloxyalkyl and aryl
mercury compounds
(categorised as
pesticides)
The Convention includes two key provisions, namely the Prior Informed Consent
(PIC) Procedure and Information Exchange. The Prior Informed Consent (PIC)
procedure is a mechanism for formally obtaining and disseminating the decisions
of importing Parties as to whether they wish to receive future shipments of those
chemicals listed in Annex III of the Convention and for ensuring compliance with
these decisions by exporting Parties. Information Exchange: The Convention
facilitates information exchange among Parties for a very broad range of
potentially hazardous chemicals. The Convention requires each Party to notify
the Secretariat when taking a domestic regulatory action to ban or severely
restrict a chemical. The mercury compounds mentioned to the left are subject to
the PIC procedure.
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Agreement
OSPAR
Convention
Substances
Mercury
Requirements
Included on the OSPAR list of priority substances. The Convention aims at
preventing pollution of by continuously reducing discharges, emissions and
losses of hazardous substances, with the ultimate aim to achieve concentrations
in the OSPAR maritime area near background values for naturally occurring
substances and close to zero for synthetic substances. Many decisions and
recommendations were issued on mercury, and OSPAR has been a major driver
in the promotion of reducing mercury releases in the region. Relevant
recommendations include, among others:
PARCOM Decision 90/3 of 14 June 1990 on reducing atmospheric emissions
from existing chlor-alkali plants (setting limits for atmospheric emissions and
recommending mercury cell closure or conversion by 2010).; and a number of
older decisions on this sector.
OSPAR Recommendation 2003/4
on Controlling the Dispersal of Mercury from Crematoria.
PARCOM Decision 90/2 on Programmes and Measures for Mercury and
Cadmium Containing Batteries (requires separate collection and disposal of
mercury batteries and promotes recycling of batteries and use of mercury-free
batteries)
PARCOM Recommendation 93/2 on Further Restrictions on the Discharge of
Mercury from Dentistry.
PARCOM Recommendation 89/3 on Programmes and Measures for Reducing
Mercury Discharges from Various Sources (recommending substitution and
recycling of mercury for a range of intentional uses)
PARCOM Recommendation 97/2 on Measures to be Taken to Prevent or Reduce
Emissions of Heavy Metals and Persistent Organic Pollutants Due to Large
Combustion Plants ( > 50 MWth) (recommends use of best available technologies
to minimize emissions)
HELCOM
(Helsinki
Convention)
Mercury
A number of recommendations pertaining to mercury has been adopted under
the convention, including among others:
Recommendation 23/4 Adopted 6 March 2002 recommends limit values to
mercury contents in light sources.
Recommendation 31E/2 adopted 20 May 2010 recommends bans on batteries
containing mercury above certain concentrations, substitution, labelling and
collection of used batteries containing mercury, collection targets for batteries
with mercury, etc.
Recommendation 23/6 Adopted 6 March 2002 on the reduction of emissions and
discharges of mercury from chlor-alkali industry recommends limit values to
mercury in releases and produced products.
Recommendation 6/4 adopted 13 march 1985: Recommendation concerning
measures aimed at the reduction of mercury resulting from dentistry.
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2.3
Eco-labels
The use of mercury is generally prohibited or restricted in criteria for Eco-labels. In Appendix 3 an
overview is provided on which product groups are covered by EU and Nordic eco-labelling schemes
as regards mercury and mercury compounds. Mercury may either be restricted specifically, or by
generic requirements prohibiting the use of PBT substances in certain types of products, materials
and processes. Only the labels with mercury-specific restrictions are included in the Annex.
2.4
Summary and conclusions
Mercury has been a prioritised substance in Danish pollution abatement for several decades. Due to
its well documented adverse environmental characteristics, mercury and its compounds are among
the most regulated hazardous substances both nationally in Denmark, in the EU and in
international conventions. This is also reflected by the fact that mercury is among the few
substances which are, or are soon to be, regulated globally. Denmark and other Nordic countries
have been among the main promoters behind the formation of strict regulation of mercury and its
compounds in the EU and globally.
Mercury pollution to all environmental media is targeted by legislation, yet with most emphasis on
the atmospheric releases due to mercury's ability for long-range transport and re-emission of
mercury. The atmospheric component represents the fastest spreading of mercury pollution, yet
mercury is also spread regionally with rivers and globally with ocean currents, the latter being a
component which may warrant more attention in the future.
Denmark's ban on the marketing, import and export of mercury covers most intentional mercury
uses, with exemptions for a number of mercury applications, partly such for which alternatives are
not fully matured on the market (for example energy-saving lamps) and partly a number of uses for
which exemptions are made in order to not impair trade among EU Member states. In the EU
context, mercury is however also severely restricted, and with the dedicated focus of the Community
mercury strategy, remaining intentional mercury uses may likely be further restricted as adequate
alternatives for these are matured and accepted.
As regards other mercury source categories, than intentional uses mercury releases are also
regulated to a varying extent. Waste incineration is regulated with an air emission limit in the
Industrial Emissions Directive, and otherwise indirectly via facility-specific environmental permits
which may also target releases to other media. Mercury releases to the atmosphere from coal
combustion is addressed in Danish regulation indirectly only, in the form of a guideline on air
emissions in environmental permits, which is to be considered in facility-specific environmental
permits.
The negotiation of a global treaty - the Minamata Convention - on mercury was finalised in January
2013. The treaty is scheduled to be opened for signing during 2013. Mercury is also addressed by
several existing international agreements addressing atmospheric emissions (CLRTAP), the marine
environment (OSPAR, HELCOM, Barcelona, Bucharest), waste (Basel), and export of chemicals
(Rotterdam).
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3. Manufacture and uses
This section describes the most updated information available on manufacture and use of mercury
compounds globally, in the EU and - as regards use - in Denmark. Very informative data are
available for most parameters, but an updated assessment of the consumption of mercury and
mercury compounds is not available. The latest of three substance flow assessments performed for
mercury in Denmark is from 2004 and based on 2001-data. Based on the available data, an
indication is however given of the recent developments.
3.1
Manufacturing
3.1.1
Manufacturing processes
Virgin mercury is produced from dedicated mercury mining, as a by-product of other non-ferrous
metal mining and to a limited degree from natural gas production. Besides, mercury is marketed by
some recycling facilities.
3.1.2
Manufacturing sites
No production of mercury or mercury compounds take place in Denmark.
In the EU, dedicated mercury mining is no longer practised; the world's formerly largest mercury
mine was however located in Almadén, Spain. Production here ceased in 2004, after which the
company has only marketed mercury from stocks of re-used/recycled mercury (primarily from shut
down or converted chlor-alkali plants).
By-product mercury from some non-ferrous metal facilities in the EU has also been marketed, but
with the 2011 regulation on a ban on mercury exports and safe storage of waste mercury (see Table
6), by-product mercury as well as mercury from dedicated mining is considered waste to be safely
stored and may not be marketed in the EU or exported out of the EU. By-product mercury
production in the EU from natural gas condensates are also covered by the regulation.
Recycled mercury is marketed by a number of companies in the EU. Since the 2011 EU mercury
export ban, no exports out of the EU are allowed of elemental mercury, calomel and certain other
mercury compounds included in the ban. Mercury and the mentioned mercury compounds
produced in the EU may thus only be sold inside the EU. In the light of the EU export ban and safe
storage regulation, some of the recycling companies are now developing and marketing services for
immobilisation and final storage of obsolete mercury.
Various mercury compounds were in 2007 produced in the EU for example at their facility in Spain
. It is unknown, if the absence of REACH registrations of mercury compounds (other than elemental
mercury) is an indication as to whether production and marketing of these have ceased.
Globally, dedicated mercury mining is currently only on-going in Kyrgyzstan and China. By-product
mercury is produced from many non-ferrous metal smelters globally, yet in smaller amounts per
facility.
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Statistics on production of mercury and mercury compounds (as such) in the EU
Data from Eurostat's Prodcom database on production in the EU is shown in Table 10. The data do
not illuminate the supply situation on mercury in the EU, as the only available data are not specific
to mercury.
TABLE 13
EU27 PRODUCTION OF MERCURY COMPOUNDS (EUROSTAT, 2013B)
PRODCOM
Code
Average 2006-
2010
20132300
Alkali or alkaline-earth metals; rare-earth
metals, scandium and yttrium; mercury
20135185
Colloidal precious metals; compounds and
amalgams of precious metals (excluding silver
nitrate)
20135270
Compounds, inorganic or organic, of mercury,
excluding amalgams
20135290
Other inorganic compounds n.e.c.; amalgams
(excluding distilled and conductivity water and
water of similar purity, liquid air and
compressed air, those of precious metals)
No data in Prodcom
No data in Prodcom
No data in Prodcom
No data in Prodcom
No data in Prodcom
No data in Prodcom
82,286
77,366
2011
Text
Production, t/y
3.1.3
Manufacturing volumes
As mentioned, no production of mercury or mercury compounds take place in Denmark.
The overall mass balance for mercury in intentional uses in the EU was summarised for the year
2007 by Lassen,
et al.
(2008) as shown in Figure 1 below.
Production of goods
Production 258 t
Import 77 t
Export 151 t
Liquid mercury (mainly for chlor-alkali) 237 t
Consumption 420 t
Accumulated in products
and processes in
EU society 14900 t
Released by use/ breakage 20 t
102 t
For recovery
94 t
MSW disposal
208 t
Other disposal
45 t
Unacc. chlor-alkali
FIGURE 1
MERCURY MASS BALANCE FOR EU27+2 SOCIETY (MEDIUM ESTIMATES FOR 2007), ALL FIGURES IN
TONNES/YEAR (FROM LASSEN
ET AL.,
2008).
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Global manufacture of mercury and mercury compounds
Estimates of global supply and demand of mercury for intentional uses have in the last decade or so
been produced by Maxson of Concorde East/West. His latest estimates are shown in Table 11 below
(Maxson, 2009 and 2013).
TABLE 14
ESTIMATES OF GLOBAL MERCURY SUPPLY BY MAIN SOURCES (MAXSON, 2009, 2013) [TABLE FORMAT
CNJE]
Mercury supply, by main sources, t Hg/y
Primary mercury mining
By-product mercury from non-ferrous metal sector
Recycling/re-use from chlor-alkali facilities
Recycling of mercury from catalysts, production wastes,
tailings and products
Commercially available mercury stocks
Total
As needed (+)
3,000-3,900+
??
3,300-4,400
2007*1
1,300-1,600
400-600
700-900
600-800
2010**2
1,200-1,600
500-700
600-800
1,000-1,300
Note *1: As estimated by Maxson (2009). Recent updates for mercury demand for ASGM indicate
that the total mercury supply may be higher. *2: Updated, rough estimate for 2010 (Maxson, 2013,
personal communication).
No global numbers on the manufacture of mercury compounds have been identified. The major
mercury compound produced is no doubt calomel (Hg
2
Cl
2
, also known as mercurous chloride),
because this is produced as a by-product from flue gas cleaning in non-ferrous metal production
(notably zinc production). Most of the marketed calomel is however used for production of
elemental mercury.
3.2
3.2.1
Import and export
Import and export of mercury and mercury compounds (on their own) in
Denmark
Mercury and mercury compounds are not manufactured in Denmark. Based on previous national
mercury mass balances (see below), only a minor import and export of mercury (probably within
100-200 kg) and mercury substances would be expected to take place. Besides these, import and
export of some article types with these substances take place.
Statistical data from Statistics Denmark (DST, 2013) and Eurostat are presented in Table
12.
The
data from Statistics Denmark look unlikely based on experience on the issue. Statistics Denmark
was contacted and data were corrected, yet the import for code numbers 28521000 and 28529000
still looks unlikely high. As shown, Eurostat data on the same commodities are not in accordance.
The data should likely be considered as unreliable. The reason is unknown, but may be erroneous
reporting by importers. Less likely, but not to be ruled out fully, they may indicate unexpected trade
in mercury with Denmark for uses exempted in the Danish mercury ban order, or illegal trade.
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TABLE 15
DANISH IMPORT AND EXPORT OF MERCURY AND MERCURY COMPOUNDS (STATISTICS DENMARK
AND EUROSTAT TRADE DATABASES ACCESSED IN 2013).
CN code
Text
Source
Import, tonnes/year
Average
2007-2011
28054010
Mercury - In flasks of a
net content of 34.5 kg
(standard weight), of a
fob value, per flask, not
exceeding € 224
28054090
Mercury - Other
Statistics Denmark
EUROSTAT
28520000
*1
Inorganic or organic
compounds of mercury,
whether or not
chemically defined,
excluding amalgams
28521000
*1
Inorganic or organic
compounds of mercury,
whether or not
chemically defined,
excluding amalgams -
Chemically defined
28529000
*1
Inorganic or organic
compounds of mercury,
whether or not
chemically defined,
excluding amalgams -
Other
Note: *1: Codes 28521000 and 28529000 are not recorded as such in EUROSTAT statistics, so these numbers
from Statistics Denmark should be summed and compared to the overall code 28520000 in EUROSTAT data.
Statistics Denmark
0
53.3
0
41.5
Statistics Denmark
0
106.3
0
1.09
EUROSTAT
0.15
0
0.017
0
0.454
2007:
2.2
2007: 0
2008: 0
2010: 10
NA
2007-09: 5.6
NA
0.003
NA
EUROSTAT
Av. of 2007 and
2011: 0.1
NA
0.1
0.8
Statistics Denmark
0.067
0.002
2012
Export, tonnes/year
Average
2007-2011
0.064
0.84
2012
According to Statistics Denmark, the biggest imports and exports of mercury and compounds to
and from Denmark come from/go to Germany, France, Netherlands, Sweden and Finland.
3.2.2
Import and export of mercury and mercury compounds in the EU
Available data on EU external trade in tonnes of mercury and mercury compounds (as such) is
shown in Table 13. The data indicate that the mercury trade in and out of the EU has been quite
extensive up till 2010, where the EU mercury export ban was entering into force. This was expected,
as a major surplus of mercury was build up from decommissioned or converted mercury cell chlor-
alkali production facilities. The average export in the years 2006-2012 more than equals the
estimated total global demand for mercury.
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TABLE 16
EU27 EXTERNAL IMPORT AND EXPORT OF MERCURY AND ITS COMPOUNDS (EUROSTAT, 2012A)
CN code
Text
Import, t/y
Average
2006-2011
28054010
Mercury - In flasks of a net content of
34,5 kg (standard weight), of a fob
value, per flask, not exceeding € 224
28054090
28521000
Mercury - Other
Inorganic or organic compounds of
mercury, whether or not chemically
defined, excluding amalgams -
Chemically defined
28529000
Inorganic or organic compounds of
mercury, whether or not chemically
defined, excluding amalgams - Other
85063000
Mercuric oxide
261.2
270.1
31.1
12.3
N.A.
35.5
N.A.
45.2
207.9
N.A.
27.7
3.1
416.2
N.A.
20.3
114.3
11.3
N.A.
2012
Export, t/y
Average
2006-2011
241.5
0.9
2012
N.A. - Not available
3.3
3.3.1
Uses
Use, and trends in use, of mercury and mercury compounds in Denmark
No recent aggregated surveys of mercury consumption are available for Denmark. The latest
detailed consumption data from the 2001 mercury mass flow analysis (Christensen
et al.,
2004) are
shown in Table 14 below, along with consumption assessment results from the older substance flow
assessments for 1982/83 and 1992/93 (Maag
et al.,
1996). As shown, the major intentional use in
2000/01 was dental amalgam, with light sources and batteries as runner-ups. This is likely the
picture today also, though probably with smaller consumption for at least dental amalgam and
batteries, due to the severe restrictions on these uses in Denmark. While light sources may on
average contain lowers amounts of mercury per lamp today than in 2001, the sales of energy saving
bulbs (also Called CFLs, compact fluorescent lamps) is expected to have increased significantly and
the total mercury consumption with light sources may thus have increased.
The table also shows that very significant reductions of the mercury consumption were achieved
even prior to 2001. In fact, the consumption with intentional mercury uses was in 2001 reduced to
about 10% of the level in 1983, or from 16 to 1.6 tonnes/year, whereas the mercury input to Danish
society as impurities in materials was on about the same level, with coal for energy production and
various high-volume materials as the main contributors.
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TABLE 17
END USES OF MERCURY IN DENMARK IN 2000/01 AND HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT SINCE 1992/93
AND 1982/83
Application
1982/83*1
kg Hg/y
Mercury (intentional uses)
Dental fillings
Light sources
Switches, contacts and relays
Clinical thermometers
Other thermometers
Other measuring and control equipment
Chlor-alkali production
Other uses as a metal
Chemical compounds (intentional uses)
Mercury-oxide batteries
Other batteries
Laboratory chemicals
Medical applications
Other chemical applications
Total, intentional uses
As impurity*1
Coal
Oil products
Natural gas
Biological fuels
Cement
Agricultural lime, fertilizer and feeding stuffs
Foodstuffs
All other goods
Total, impurities
Total (rounded)
1,000-2,000
<50
-
-
10-80
20-130
-
30-600
1,100-2,900
16,200-19,900
500-1,300
2-34
-
30-45
60-220
<50
<50
70-1,400
660-3,100
6,400-9,600
600-1,000
2-30
0,4-3
18-80
30-70
11-40
10-20
94-1,900
760-3,100
2,100-5,000
2,400
2,300
500
-
1,050-1,900
15,100-17,000
280-430
120-430
60-120
-
<50
5,800-6,600
0.5-0.6
70-150
30-70
0-1
5-50
1,300-1,900
3,100
140
160-520
750
1,300-1,800
430-630
3,000
-
1,800
170
200-400
50
100
500
2,500
-
1,100-1,300
60-170
0-20
1.1
15-20
10-50
-
40-60
1992/93*1
kg Hg/y
2000/01*1
kg Hg/y
Notes: *1: Data source for historical data (Christensen et al., 2004).
*2: The Danish substance flow assessments for mercury (and other elements) include mercury inputs to the
biosphere with trace concentrations in high-volume materials (natural impurities, or a result of previous human
mercury releases). Similar data are generally not available from most other data sources on mercury inputs to
society.
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Data from the Danish Product Register
The Danish Product Register includes substances and mixtures used occupationally and which
contain at least one substance classified as dangerous in a concentration of at least 0.1% on 1%,
depending on the classification of the substance. Of the mercury compounds, all are classified as
dangerous and should thus be registered. For substances included in mixtures used for formulation
of other mixtures in Denmark, the quantities may be double-counted as both the raw material and
the final mixture may be registered (provided both are marketed in Denmark). As stated above, the
amounts registered are for occupational use only, but for substances used for the manufacture of
mixtures in Denmark, the data may still indicate the quantities of the substances in the finished
products placed on the market both for professional and consumer applications.
Laboratory chemicals may be purchased on the Internet and such single item impact is likely not
registered anywhere.
A search in the Product Register for mercury and all the mercury compounds listen in Table 20
(deep) below (most of the major mercury compounds believed to be used in the EU) was performed
by the Danish Working Environment Authority for the Danish EPA for use in this study.
Only four of these more than 50 substances were registered in the Product Register, and among
these only two in a number of products and by a number of companies enabling public reporting.
Consumption (demand) in terms of substance amounts are reported in Table 15. Note that
(neodecanoato-o)phenyl-mercury is one of the phenyl-mercury compounds used as PUR elastomer
catalysts for which marketing in articles is restricted as of 10 October 2017 (Regulation No
848/2012 amending the REACH Regulation).
As shown in Table 16, only one application had significant number of hits for public reporting:
Paints, lacquers and varnishes, where mercury compounds most likely act as a catalyst or an in-can
preservative.
While the self-reporting under the Product Register cannot be expected to provide a precise picture
of the consumption of mercury and mercury compounds in Denmark, those data support other
indications that the consumption of these substances in pure form, or as mixtures, is minimal in
Denmark today.
TABLE 18
MERCURY COMPOUNDS IN MIXTURES PLACED ON THE DANISH MARKET IN 2012 AS REGISTERED IN
THE DANISH PRODUCT REGISTER
CAS No
Chemical name
No of
mixtures/com
panies
7439-97-6
26545-49-3
Mercury
Mercury, (neodecanoato-o)phenyl-
59/13
4/3
Registered tonnage, kg/y
Production
+ import
0-0.06
14.1
0-0.01
2.7
0-0.05
11.4
Export
Consumption
TABLE 19
CONSUMPTION OF MERCURY COMPOUNDS REGISTERED IN THE DANISH PRODUCT REGISTER, 2012
Application area
Consumption (production +
import – export)
Prod./
Comp.*1
Paints, lacquers and varnishes
*1: number of products and companies registered.
45/9
kg/y
0-0.04
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Thimerosal/Thiomersal
The consumption of mercury with the mercury compound and preservative Thimerosal (also calledThiomersal;
CAS no 54-64-8) in Denmark has not been big in recent decades. However, according to Vaccineinfo.dk,
http://vaccineinfo.dk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=576&Itemid=28,
thimerosal use in child vaccines stopped in Denmark in 1992, and was by April 2011 also no longer used in
influenza vaccines in Denmark. It was however used in the H1N1 vaccines in 2009 due to lack of availability of
vaccines on an overheated marked at that time, which also was discussed in the Danish parliament
(http://www.ft.dk/samling/20081/almdel/mpu/spm/695/svar/647790/735950/index.htm).
New data on dental amalgam fillings
The Danish Health and Medicines Authority has supplied new data on the number of amalgam
fillings made in Denmark by private dental clinics over the last years for this study (data on publicly
subsidised fillings). In addition to private clinics, a limited number of adults are treated in public
dental clinics (1%) for which there are no aggregated data. The Danish Health and Medicines
Authority considers amalgam fully substituted in school clinics (has also been banned since 2003 in
milk teeth.
Three different size categories are applied, 1, 2 and 3 surface fillings, where 3 are the largest and
often most complicated fillings. Based on detailed Danish studies (Maag et al., 1996, and Skårup et
al., 2003), on average 0.4g of mercury is used per surface, of which about 60% stays in the tooth
and the rest is waste from the fillings process. Combining these data with the data on numbers of
fillings made per year yields the mercury consumption for dental fillings shown in Table 17. Figure 2
shows the development in number of 1, 2 and 3 surface fillings made in the same period. As shown,
the number of amalgam fillings has declined steadily in the period. It should be noted that the
majority of the decline in amalgam use was seen before 2007. Most amalgam fillings made where 3
surface fillings (of which some are exempted in the Danish mercury ban order), but also a
significant number of fillings of presumably less complicated nature were made with amalgam.
TABLE 20
MERCURY DEMAND FOR AMALGAM FILLINGS IN DENMARK 2007-2012 (DANISH HEALTH AND
MEDICINES AUTHORITY, 2013).
Mercury
consumption
year
1 surface fillings
2 surface fillings
3 surface fillings
Total
0,0004
0,0008
0,0012
Hg demand,
kg/filling
2007
50
102
305
457
2008
41
83
247
371
2009
22
45
134
201
2010
19
40
117
176
2011
17
35
102
154
2012
14
30
89
133
Annual mercury demand with amalgam, kg
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300000
250000
200000
1 surface fillings
150000
100000
50000
0
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
FIGURE 2
NUMBER OF AMALGAM FILLINGS MADE IN PRIVATE CLINICS IN DENMARK BY SIZE ( DANISH
HEALTH AND MEDICINES AUTHORITY, 2013)
2 surface fillings
3 surface fillings
Laboratory uses
As alternatives have been available for most uses for 1-2 decades and most uses are regulated,
laboratory use is expected to be minimal and limited to standards for calibration and certain
analytical uses exempted in the Danish mercury ban order. A recent survey (Lassen
et al.,
2008)
highlighted that porosimetry (measurement of pore characteristics in solid materials) constitute
asignificant mercury consumption in the EU, which has so far not been quantified for Denmark.
Porosimetry is known to be used regularly in Denmark in measurements on industrial ceramics,
etc.. According to Lassen et al. (2008), a consumption of some 12-240 kg Hg/y is roughly estimated
by suppliers of porosimetry equipment.
Current consumption
Table 18 below shows mercury consumption (demand) data from 2001 (Christensen et al., 2004)
along with new data for dental amalgam from this study. For other mercury sources indicative
expert estimates are given based on information on the current status of regulation of the mercury
sources in question.
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TABLE 21
MERCURY CONSUMPTION (DEMAND) DATA FROM 2001 AND INDICATIVE EXPERT ESTIMATES FOR
2013 CONSUMPTION.
Application
2000/01
kg Hg/y
Mercury (intentional uses)
Dental fillings
Light sources
1,100-1,300
60-170
Yes but at lower rates, see text
Increasing due to climate campaigns; substitutes
(LED) are gaining ground in more uses
Switches, contacts and
relays
Clinical thermometers
Other thermometers
Other measuring and
control equipment
Chlor-alkali production
-
Not present in DK; not BAT according to IE
Directive/BREF note
Other uses as a metal
Mercury compounds (intentional use)
Mercury-oxide batteries
Other batteries
0.5-0.6
70-150
No, regulated and substituted
Certain button cell types yes, alternatives on the
market. Others no, regulated and substituted
Laboratory chemicals
Medical applications
Other chemical applications
Total, intentional uses
(rounded)
Mercury input as impurities
Coal
Oil products
Natural gas
Biological fuels
Cement
Agricultural lime, fertilizer
and feeding stuffs
Foodstuffs
All other goods
Total, impurities
Total (rounded)
10-20
94-1,900
760-3,100
2,100-5,000
Yes
Yes
NAI
NAI
NAI
NAI
600-1,000
2-30
0,4-3
18-80
30-70
11-40
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
NAI*2
NAI
NAI
NAI
NAI
NAI
30-70
0-1
5-50
1,300-1,900
Limited, see text below
Limited
Limited, see text
30-70
0-1
10-30
300-1000
0
0-100
40-60
Laboratory uses, see text
50-250
0
1.1
15-20
10-50
Banned in DK
Banned with some exemptions
Banned with some exemptions
0-1
0-20
0-30
0-20
Likely but minimal; is exempted from ban
0-10
130-150
100-300
Notes on consumption
/presence today
2013 consumption,
kg Hg/year *1
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Note to table 18: *1: Rough estimates based on limited data and background knowledge only. *2: NAI = No
aggregated information.
3.3.2
Use of mercury and mercury compounds in the EU
The newest aggregated and detailed assessment of production and consumption of mercury (and its
compounds) in the EU is the European Commission report "Options for reducing mercury use in
products and applications, and the fate of mercury already circulating in society"(Lassen
et al.,
2008). Consumption data from this study are shown in Table 19. Note that this study was
performed prior to the entering into force of the restrictions of the marketing of certain measuring
instruments for private use. This study mentions chlor-alkali production
1
, dental amalgam and
chemicals/miscellaneous as major application categories, which is deemed still to be the case.
Table 34 (deep) below shows Maxson's (2012) latest estimate of mercury consumption (including
mercury compounds) for major product uses in the world including the EU. He also assessed dental
amalgam and "other uses" as the major application areas, which seems reasonable considering that
most other product use categories mentioned are severely restricted in the EU.
Chlor-alkali production is still a major Hg-consuming sector in the EU in contrast to the rest of the World, where this
technology is less used. Closures and conversions are however also ongoing in the EU, and the industry has voluntarily
committed to cease mercury use before 2020.
1
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TABLE 22
MERCURY CONSUMPTION IN INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES AND PRODUCTS IN THE EU IN 2007 (LASSEN
ET AL.,
2008)
Application area
Chlor-alkali production
*1
Light sources
Fluorescent tubes
Compact fluorescent tubes
HID lamps
Other lamps (non electronics)
Lamps in electronics
Batteries
Mercury button cells
General purpose batteries
Mercury oxide batteries
Dental amalgams
Pre-measured capsules
Liquid mercury
Measuring equipment
Medical thermometers
Other mercury-in-glass thermometers
Thermometers with dial
Manometers
Barometers
Sphygmomanometers
Hygrometers
Tensiometers
Gyrocompasses
Reference electrodes
Hanging drop electrodes
Other uses
Switches, relays, etc.
Tilt switches for all applications
Thermoregulators
Read relays and switches
Other switches and relays
Chemicals
Mercury consumption, t/y
160 - 190
11 - 15
3.3 - 4.5
1.9 - 2.6
1.1 - 1.5
1.6 - 2.1
3.5 - 4.5
7 - 25
0.3 - 0.8
5-7
2 - 17
90 - 110
63 - 77
27 - 33
7 - 17
1-3
0.6 - 1.2
0.1 - 0.3
0.03 - 0.3
2-5
3-6
0.01 - 0.1
0.01 - 0.1
0.005 - 0.025
0.005 - 0.015
0.1 - 0.5
0.01 - 0.1
0.3 - 0.8
0.3 - 0.5
0.005 - 0.05
0.025 - 0.05
0.01 - 0.15
28 - 59
Percentage, of total
41.2
3.1
0.9
0.5
0.3
0.4
0.9
3.8
0.1
1.4
2.2
23.5
16.5
7.1
2.8
0.5
0.2
0
0.04
0.82
1.1
0.01
0.01
0.004
0.002
0.1
0.01
0.1
0.09
0.01
0.01
0.02
10.2
Survey of mercury and mercury compounds
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Application area
Chemical intermediate and catalyst (excl PU)
*2
Catalyst in polyurethane (PU) production
Laboratories and pharmaceutical industry
Preservatives in vaccines and cosmetics
Preservatives in paints
Disinfectant
Other applications as chemical
Miscellaneous uses
Porosimetry and pycnometry
Conductors in seam welding machines (mainly
maintenance)
Mercury slip rings
Maintenance of lighthouses
Maintenance of bearings
Gold production (illegal)
Other applications
Total (round) ‘2
Mercury consumption, t/y
10 - 20
Percentage, of total
3.5
20 - 35
3 - 10
0.1 - 0.5
4 - 10
1-2
0-1
15 - 114
10 - 100
0.2 - 0.5
6.5
1.5
0.1
1.6
0.4
0.1
15.2
12.9
0.1
0.1 - 1
0.8 - 3
0.05 - 0.5
3-6
0.5 - 3
320 - 530
0.1
0.4
0.1
1.1
0.4
100
Notes: *1: Represents the amount added each year to the cells including of which a part is recycled internally
within the plants.*2 In order to avoid double counting, the mercury used as chemical intermediates and
catalysts (excluding PU elastomers) is not included when calculating the total.
Further on mercury compounds in the EU
According to Lassen
et al.
(2008), well over 100 mercury compounds were marketed in the EU in
2007 (e.g. Chemos 2008). 41 of these compounds were selected for further investigation by Lassen
et al., and actual sale on the EU market was confirmed by the industry for more than 75% of these
selected compounds. In addition, there were significant imports and exports of mercury compounds
between EU and non-EU countries.
The main EU applications of mercury compounds in 2007 were (Lassen
et al.,
2008):
•
Production of batteries or parts of batteries;
•
Production of reference electrodes;
•
Catalyst in production of polyurethanes;
•
Chemical intermediate in the pharmaceutical industry;
•
Chemical intermediate for production of other mercury compounds;
•
Laboratory chemical reagents for COD analyses and a number of analyses in the medical and
food sector;
•
Mercury standards for calibration;
•
Preservative in vaccines, eye/nasal preparations;
•
Preservative and fungicide in paints;
•
Disinfection of medical equipment and process equipment;
•
Disinfectants for veterinary uses;
•
Pigment for artwork and restoration.
60
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Lassen et al. (2008) also investigated the consumption of the selected 41 mercury chemicals in the
EU.
Table 20 below summarises the available information on the consumption of mercury chemicals in
the EU in 2007, based on data from a limited number of relevant European mercury chemicals
suppliers (see reference for details). Eight compounds are indicated to be used in the EU in
quantities above 0.5 tonnes (indicated in bold in the table): Mercury-I-chloride, mercury-II-
chloride, mercury-II-oxide, phenylmercury acetate, phenylmercury neodecanoate, phenylmercury
octoate, phenylmercury-2-ethylhexanoate and mercurochrome.
SPIN search for Nordic countries
A search was conducted for this study in the Nordic product database SPIN (www.spin.net) using
the partial name "mercu" as the search string. 5 of the substances quantified by Lassen
et al.
(2008)
as used in the EU in quantities above 0.5 tonnes were also registered in SPIN, while 13 mercury
compounds registered in SPIN was indicated as with lower consumption by Lassen
et al.,
and 5
mercury compounds registered in SPIN were not among the 41 mercury compounds studied by in
that EU study. The results of the search in SPIN are summarized in Table 20 (for substances
indicated as with major consumption by Lassen et al., 20089) and Table 21 (for other substances).
Besides these mercury compounds, elemental mercury was registered in SPIN with many potential
uses and an indication of probably risk via all three exposure routes listed in SPIN (see table notes).
However, most of the substances considered with lower volume or not included in Lassen
et al.'s
list
(in the table below) do not have indications of number of applications or risk of exposure in SPIN
(only 5 have any such indications). This could either be due to confidentiality issues (less than 3
companies registered), or because such information has not been registered originally by the
companies marketing the products in question.
Survey of mercury and mercury compounds
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TABLE 23
MERCURY COMPOUNDS MARKETED IN THE EU AND THEIR MAIN APPLICATIONS. MARKET VOLUME AS ESTIMATED BY MAJOR SUPPLIERS OF MERCURY CHEMICALS IN 2007
(LASSEN
ET AL.,
2008) AND RESULTS OF THE SPIN SEARCH PERFORMED FOR THIS STUDY.
Hg compound
CAS number
SPIN details*1
Hg content
Main applications in the EU
EU market 2006 in tonnes compound
0.01-0.1
0.1-0.5
<0.01
0.5-5
5-15
x
Inorganic compounds:
Mercury-II-bromide
Mercury-I-chloride,
mercurous chloride
7789-47-1
10112-91-1
NA
56
85
Laboratory analyses
Medicine, acousto-optical filters, used as a
standard in electrochemistry, agricultural
chemical, insecticide, fungicide
Mercury-II-chloride,
mercuric chloride
Mercury-II-cyanide
592-04-1
80
7487-94-7
NA
74
Pharmaceutical industry, disinfectant,
preservative, metallurgy, chemical intermediate
Pharmaceutical, germicidal soaps, photography
and in making cyanogen gas
Mercury-I-fluoride
Mercury-II-fluoride
Mercury iodide
Mercury-I-iodide
Mercury-II-iodide,
red – mercuric iodide
Mercury-I-nitrate,
mercurous nitrate
Mercury-II-nitrate,
mercuric nitrate
10415-75-5
14836-60-3
10045-94-0
NA
62
76
Laboratory analyses: Millon’s Protein Test
Reagent
Laboratory analyses
x
13967-25-4
7783-39-3
7783-30-4
15385-57-6
7774-29-0
NA
NA
91
84
61
61
44
Disinfectant soaps
Topical disinfectant, bactericide
Pharmaceutical industry, Laboratory analyses
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
>15
~0
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Hg compound
CAS number
SPIN details*1
Hg content
Main applications in the EU
EU market 2006 in tonnes compound
0.01-0.1
0.1-0.5
<0.01
0.5-5
5-15
x
Mercury oxycyanide
Mercury-II-oxide
mercuric oxide
1335-31-5
21908-53-2
NA
86
93
Disinfectant
Batteries, cosmetics, paint pigment, perfumes,
pharmaceuticals, polishing compounds,
fungicides, chemical intermediate
x
Mercury-II-sulfate,
mercuric sulfate
Mercury-II-sulfide,
cinnabar, red
mercury sulphide
Mercury-II-
thiocyanate
Mercury-I-
perchlorate
Mercury-II-
perchlorate
Mercury potassium
iodide
Mercury II selenide
Mercury silver iodide
Mercury II telluride
Mercury fulminate
Mercury-II-hydride
Organic compounds:
7783-35-9
1-3 SE2010
68
Laboratory analyses: COD analysis, Kjeldahl
method, pharmaceutical industry
x
1344-48-5
1-3 NO2009, waw
86
Pharmaceutical industry, artistic paints
x
592-85-8
NA
63
Pharmaceutical industry, photography
x
65202-12-2
67
Chemical intermediate
7616-83-3
50
Chemical intermediate
7783-33-7
26
Laboratory: Nessler’s reagent
x
x
20601-83-6
7784-03-4
12068-90-5
628-86-4
72172-67-9
72
22
61
70
99
Disinfectant
Semiconductors
Explosives, detonators
Chemical intermediate
x
x
x
x
Survey of mercury and mercury compounds
63
>15
~0
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Hg compound
CAS number
SPIN details*1
Hg content
Main applications in the EU
EU market 2006 in tonnes compound
0.01-0.1
0.1-0.5
<0.01
0.5-5
5-15
Mercury-II-acetate
Mercury-II-
ammonium chloride,
ammoniated mercury
Phenylmercury
acetate
Phenylmercuric
borate
Diphenylmercury
1600-27-7
10124-48-8
NA
63
80
Pharmaceutical industry
Pharmaceutical industry
x
exp.
62-38-4
1-3 DK2010:
occxx, NO
60
Fungal control (e.g. paints, building materials),
catalyst for polyurethane production
102-98-7
59
Pharmaceutical industry
x
587-85-9
57
Pharmaceutical industry, catalyst for isocyanate-
hydroxyl reactions
x
Phenylmercury
neodecanoate
26545-49-3
11-31 DK2010:
wawxx, conx,
occxxx, NO, SE
45
Catalyst in polyurethane elastomers
x
Phenylmercury
nitrate
Phenylmercury-II-
nitrate
Phenylmercury
oleate
Phenylmercury
octoate
Diethyl mercury
Dimethylmercury
55-68-5
NA
59
Pharmaceutical industry
x
8003-05-2
NA
67
Pharmaceutical industry
104-60-9
NA
36
7439-98-7
?
Bactericide, fungicide, polyurethane catalyst
x
x
x
627-44-1
593-74-8
78
87
Laboratory analyses
Laboratory analyses, toxicology, calibration,
antifungal agents, insecticides
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>15
x
~0
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Hg compound
CAS number
SPIN details*1
Hg content
Main applications in the EU
EU market 2006 in tonnes compound
0.01-0.1
0.1-0.5
<0.01
0.5-5
5-15
Phenylmercuric
propionate
Thimerosal,
thiomersal,
merthiolate
Mercurochrome,
merbromin, mercury
dibromofluorescein
103-27-5
1-3 DK2010: occxx
57
Catalyst in polyurethane elastomers
54-64-8
1-3 SE2010: wawx,
conx, occxx
50
Preservative in vaccines, drops and ointments
for eyes, in blood plasmas, in veterinary
medicine and for antiseptic surgical dressing
x
129-16-8
27
Disinfecting, antiseptic, pharmaceutical industry
x
Mercury
methanesulfonate
Phenylmercuric 2-
ethylhexanoate
29526-41-8
68
13302-00-6
58
Bactericide, fungicide in paints [+PU catalyst
according to KLIF, 2010]
Note to table above: *1: SPIN details: NA = not available. Other data in sequence used: 1) Number of applications registered 2) in the country and year mentioned after; and 3) indicator for possible
exposure: waw = via waste water, con = for consumers, occ = via occupational exposure. The suffixes x,xx, xxx indicates the probability of exposure via the route with: x = "One of several uses
indicate a potential exposure"; xx = "One or several uses indicate a probable exposure"; xxx = "One or several uses indicate a very probable exposure".
Survey of mercury and mercury compounds
65
>15
~0
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TABLE 24
OTHER MERCURY COMPOUNDS (AND MERCURY) REGISTRED IN SPIN OR MENTIONED BY KLIF (2010) OR ECHA’S REGISTRY OF INTENTIONS.
Hg compound
CAS number
SPIN
details*1
Mercury, chlorophenyl-
MERCURY, HYDROXYPHENYL-
Mercury
100-56-1
100-57-2
7439-97-6
1-3 SE2009
NA
11-32 DK2010:
wawxxx,
conxxx, occxxx
,NO,SE
nitric acid, mercury(2+) salt, monohydrate
Mercury, [.mu.-[(oxydi-2,1-ethanediyl 1,2-benzenedicarboxylato)(2-)]]diphenyl-
Acetic acid, mercury salt (KVIKSØLVACETAT (USPEC.))
Phenylmercuric octanoate
Methylmercuric chloride
7783-34-8
94070-93-6
592-63-2
13864-38-5
115-09-3
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
PU catalyst
NA (natural
reaction product)
SPIN
SPIN
SPIN
Klif (2010)
ECHA’s Registry of
intentions (March,
2013)
Note to table above: *1: SPIN details: NA = not available. Other data in sequence used: 1) Number of applications registered 2) in the country and year mentioned after; and 3)
indicator for possible exposure: waw = via waste water, con = for consumers, occ = via occupational exposure. The suffixes x,xx, xxx indicates the probability of exposure via the
route with: x = "One of several uses indicate a potential exposure"; xx = "One or several uses indicate a probable exposure"; xxx = "One or several uses indicate a very probable
exposure".
Applications in
the EU
NA
NA
NA
SPIN
SPIN
SPIN
Reference
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3.3.3
Global use of mercury and mercury compounds
Maxson (2012) produced updates of the best available estimates of the global consumption of
mercury with products distributed on main product uses and regions for the Technical Background
report for the report "Global Mercury Assessment 2013 - Sources, Emissions, Releases and
Environmental Transport" (UNEP/AMAP, 2013). These consumption estimates are shown in Table
22 below. As shown, the major product uses are dental fillings, batteries and "other uses" with each
around 300 tonnes of consumption annually. The reference indicates that measuring devices may
be underestimated. Note that the globally major uses of metallic mercury, such as ASGM, chlor-
alkali production and VCM production are not included in this list.
TABLE 25
ESTIMATES OF THE GLOBAL CONSUMPTION OF MERCURY WITH PRODUCTS 2010 DISTRIBUTED ON
MAIN PRODUCT USES AND REGIONS (MAXSON, 2012)
Region
Batte-
ries
Mea-
suring
devices
Average, t
East and Southeast Asia
South Asia
European Union (27 countries)
CIS and other European countries
Middle Eastern States
North Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa
North America
Central America and the Caribbean
South America
Australia New Zealand and Oceania
Total
191
26
23
7
5
2
4
11
4
16
2
291
(230-
350)
98
27
15
17
13
5
9
34
10
18
4
250
(219-
280)
42
13
18
7
6
2
4
15
4
10
2
123
(105-
135)
50
18
2
10
7
4
6
43
5
10
3
158
(140-
170)
56
21
105
12
6
2
5
76
7
13
2
305
(222-
389)
67
24
90
10
16
5
6
34
17
33
4
306
(270-
341)
504
129
253
63
53
20
34
213
47
100
17
1433
(1186-
1664)
Lamps
Elec-
trical
devices
Other
use *1
Dental
fillings
Total
Notes: *1 The ‘other use’ category includes, for example, pesticides, fungicides, laboratory chemicals, polyurethane elastomers,
pharmaceuticals, preservative in paints, traditional medicines, cultural and ritual uses, cosmetics – especially skin-lightening
creams, etc.
3.4
Summary and conclusions on manufacture and uses
Neither mercury, nor any mercury compounds are manufactured in Denmark. Manufacturing in the
EU is now limited to recycling of mercury, as all other EU sources of supply have been banned.
The Danish consumption of mercury declined with 90% already in the period 1993-2001 due to a
prioritised strategy from Denmark's side. Restrictions on mercury use were introduced even before
the first general mercury ban in 1994. At the same time, a change in technology occurred from
manual, mercury-filled instruments to mercury-free digital solutions with more functionalities,
which also helped reduce the consumption.
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A search for mercury and mercury compounds in the Danish Product Register, registering products
aimed at professional users, did only show the use of elemental mercury and 4 mercury compounds,
and in amounts in the range of a few kilograms per year. Similarly, a search in the Nordic chemicals
database SPIN only gave few hits. This is in harmony with the absence of mercury compounds
registered under REACH for the EU (elemental mercury is however registered).
Statistics on the import and export of mercury (as such) were retracted, but are much too high for
being correct based on all other information available; most likely the data reflect erroneous data
reporting. If this should be the case, they indicate a most unusual import of around 300
tonnes/year in 2012, for which the use cannot be accounted.
No recent aggregated surveys of mercury consumption are available for Denmark. The latest
detailed consumption data are from the report Mercury mass flow analysis 2001 (Christensen
et al.,
2004). Table 18 above shows mercury consumption (demand) data from 2001 along with new data
for dental amalgam from this study. For other mercury sources indicative expert estimates are given
based on information on the current status of regulation of the mercury sources in question, as well
as other background knowledge.
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4. Waste management
As noted above, mercury is persistent and toxic no matter what chemical form it is in. Mercury once
brought into the biosphere, for intentional use or as trace pollutant, thus needs to be managed to
reduce or avoid adverse impacts on humans and the environment. In Denmark and the EU, waste
fractions containing mercury is therefore categorized as hazardous waste needing special collection
and treatment. According to Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste, a maximum content of
mercury at 1 mg/kg TS is allowable in waste to be disposed in regular waste deposits.
4.1
Waste from production processes and industrial use of mercury
and mercury compounds
As mercury and mercury compounds are only used in insignificant amounts industrially in
Denmark, the amounts of currently generated waste with problematic mercury concentrations from
industrial use are expected to be absolutely minimal. As mentioned above, mercury and mercury
compounds are not manufactured in Denmark.
Minimal waste amounts with elevated mercury concentrations may still be generated from
laboratory use (which can also be from industries). As alternatives have been available for most uses
for 1-2 decades, even laboratory use is expected to be minimal and limited to standards for
calibration and certain analytical uses exempted in the Danish mercury ban order. A recent survey
(Lassen
et al.,
2008) highlighted that porosimetry (measurement of pore characteristics in solid
materials) constitutes a significant mercury consumption in the EU, which has so far not been
quantified fully for Denmark. Porosimetry is known to be used regularly in Denmark in
measurements on industrial ceramics, etc. According to Lassen et al, (2008), a rough estimate of
12-240 kg Hg/y is used in Denmark. Laboratory waste is generally subject to strict hazardous waste
collection in Denmark. Porosimetry is not covered in recent REACH amendment regulating
professional use of mercury in measuring and control equipment.
Some types of industrial waste may likely still occasionally have elevated mercury concentrations
due to the disposal of older equipment and materials. A recent quantification of mercury in waste
has not been made, but indications of upper limits for such amounts (for the society as a whole, not
only industrial) are indicated by the national mercury mass balance numbers from 2001 shown in
Section 3.3.1.
Fly ash and flue gas cleaning products from coal fired
power plants
contain mercury and will
continue to do so. The mercury amounts in the solid residues will increase with any improvements
in mercury capture from the flue gas (improved filters) and will be reduced with higher energy
contributions from renewable energy sources like wind power and solar energy. Solid residues from
power plants in Denmark are mainly used in construction work (mainly slag) and in cement
production (fly ash; Danish Energy Association, 2013). From coal combustion, the mercury
amounts in slag are generally small; most of the mercury is emitted to the air or retained in solid
residues from desulphurization (including gypsum construction boards) and in fly ash.
As shown in Table 27 in Section 5, a total turnover (with releases and output materials) of 260-420
kg/y of mercury was estimated for Danish power production in 2001. Assuming that a similar
amount is fed into the system with fuels today (may be slightly less with today’s fuels), and
considering that some 100-150 kg mercury per year are emitted to the atmosphere (see Table 26),
Survey of mercury and mercury compounds
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some 150-300 kg of mercury is transferred to cement production, gypsum board production and
construction works annually.
In
cement production,
filter dust is generally fed back into the klinker kiln, but regular purging
may be necessary as mercury will otherwise not be retained and emission thresholds may be passed.
The purging of mercury containing filter dust may either be to the marketed cement (mixed into the
final product) or when concentrations are too high, to waste deposition (UNEP, 2013).
4.2
Waste products from the use of mercury and mercury compounds
in mixtures and articles
The remaining product uses of mercury and mercury compounds are the following. Mercury
concentration by product weight is indicated for uses with data available.
TABLE 26
SOURCES OF CURRENT GENERATION OF MERCURY CONTAINING WASTE IN DENMARK
Product
Mercury
concentration
(Source for
numbers: UNEP,
2013, others:
background
knowledge)
Dental amalgam
Ca. 50% mercury in pure
fillings, moderate (but
significant)
concentrations in
amalgam separator
sludge, medium
concentrations in chair-
side strainers and lost
teeth)
Fluorescent lamps,
double end
0.01 - 0.025% mercury
Collected and treated as waste
electrical and electronic
equipment (WEEE) but many may
be lost to municipal waste and
incinerated
CFLs = “energy saving
bulbs”
0.01 -0.02% mercury
Collected and treated as waste
electrical and electronic
equipment (WEEE) but many may
be lost to municipal waste and
incinerated
Some specialised
discharge lamps
(professional use)
Button-cell batteries
Zinc-air: 1.2% mercury
Alkaline: 0.5%
Silver oxide: 0.4%
Certain types of
polyurethane elastomer
products (low in
Moderate but significant
concentrations
>0.025% mercury
Most expected to be collected and
treated as waste electrical and
electronic equipment (WEEE)
Collected and treated as hazardous
waste but many are lost to
municipal waste and incinerated
Likely lost to municipal and
industrial waste
Marketing to stop in a few
years. Decrease due to adopted
regulation
Decrease due to climate
campaign and LED
substitution
Decrease due to substitution
Increase due to climate
campaign
Increase due to climate
campaign
Most is properly disposed as
hazardous waste, but teeth and
fillings lost outside dental clinics
are disposed to municipal waste or
lost diffusely in society/nature
Most reduction has been
achieved already, slow future
decline
Fate of waste
Expected trend in
amounts of waste
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Product
Mercury
concentration
(Source for
numbers: UNEP,
2013, others:
background
knowledge)
Fate of waste
Expected trend in
amounts of waste
amounts)
U-tube type blood
pressure gauges from
hospitals and health
clinics (professional uses)
Fever thermometers from
hospitals and health
clinics (professional uses)
Porosimetry
Relatively high
concentrations (likely
above 25% mercury)
Most expected to be collected and
treated as hazardous waste or
recycled via equipment supplier
25% mercury
Most expected to be collected and
treated as hazardous waste
Marketing to stop in 2014.
Decrease due to adopted
regulation
Use is driven by analysis
standards and available
alternatives do not measure
exactly the same
characteristics. Use is
therefore expected to continue
unless regulation pressure
drives development towards
the use of new standards for
the measurement of porosity
in materials
>50% mercury
Most expected to be collected and
treated as hazardous waste
Marketing to stop in 2017.
Decrease due to adopted
regulation
Many mercury containing products has a significant life span, and on top of that, some are the types
of technical products which private users tend to hoard before disposing them. It has thus earlier
been observed that some product types still appear in the waste stream more than a decade after
cessation of their use (Christensen
et al.,
2004). Special collection schemes and filters capturing
mercury in
waste incineration
flue gasses will thus still be necessary for decades after a potential
total cessation of intentional mercury use. Mercury containing products are subject to special
collection and treatment in Denmark. Surveys of for example NiCd batteries have indicated,
however, that substantial amounts are not collected, but are lost to the municipal waste stream,
meaning mainly to waste incineration. As stated by ECHA (2010; citing Lassen et al.,2008) for the
EU situation, collection efficiencies of mercury in accordance with requirements set out in the
hazardous waste legislation are estimated to be as low as approximately 20% for mercury
containing measuring devices and collection efficiencies above 50% should in general not be
expected.
Similarly, current use of dental amalgam contributes to the mercury concentrations in
sewage
sludge,
but now in smaller amounts yearly, due to the decline in the mercury consumption with
dental fillings and a large coverage of amalgam separators in the dental clinics. Old filling material
accumulated in the sewers probably still has significant contributions to mercury releases to sewage
water and sewage sludge. The sludge is used as agricultural fertiliser, incinerated or deposited on
landfills depending on local facility configurations and mercury concentration in the sludge. Only
sludge with mercury concentration under a specific threshold may be used on agricultural land (see
Section 2).
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Other waste materials also contain mercury in trace concentrations (with natural and unintentional
man-made origin), and mercury from this kind of sources will continue to be led to the waste
stream.
The concentrations of mercury in flue gas and other
outputs from waste incineration
are only
measured sporadically (typically as stipulated in their environmental permits), and do thus only
mirror the background input and releases of mercury from bulk materials, and not any peaks from
the incineration of mercury-added products. Continuous mercury measurement in the flue gas has
however been implemented recently on at least one Danish waste incineration plant (Lisbjerg,
Aarhus). With mercury being less common in the waste stream, mercury inputs and emissions will
to a higher extent be episodic. No recent quantifications of the mercury mass balance in waste
management in Denmark have been identified. Solid filter residues from waste incineration –
containing most of the mercury not emitted - are exported for controlled deposition in Norway,
whereas slag is used for road construction and similar purposes. As shown in Table 27 in Section 5,
an estimated 2,000-2,900 kg/y of mercury in solid residues from Danish waste incineration activity
was deposited in 2001. Similar or perhaps slightly lower mercury amounts are expected to be
deposited today.
By way of example, Vestforbrænding, a major waste incineration facility in the capital region,
reported average mercury concentrations in slag (sampled after 3 months of outdoor storage) of
0.022-0.092 mg/kg in the years 2010-2012. All slag was re-used (purpose not stated). Solid
residues from flue gas cleaning were exported for controlled deposition in Norway. Mercury
concentrations in this waste fraction were not measured as there were no legal demands for this
(Vestforbrænding, 2013).
Waste fractions with high mercury concentrations (dental amalgam waste, some mercury-added
products) are exported from Denmark for safe storage in old salt mines or for recycling, as Denmark
does not have national facilities for this.
An indicative draft from the national database on import and export of waste with contents of
mercury was prepared by the Danish EPA for this study. For the used data search combination, an
export of 1.02 and 0.563 tonnes/year of dental amalgam waste was reported for 2011 and 2012,
respectively, whereas the export of so-called “mixed mercury waste” was 4.063 and 1.707
tonnes/year for the same years. It should be noted that these numbers may underestimate the
actual amounts exported, as the waste categorisation used in the data search does not ensure a full
coverage. A full quantification of all mercury-containing waste can be made with the system, should
the need arise. The data search also showed export of sulphur waste (probably from flue gas
cleaning) and import (probably for re-export) of “mercury waste residues” (Danish EPA, 2013b).
Recycling and final storage
In Europe, there has been a move from recycling towards final deposition of mercury containing
waste. This is due to an excess of mercury on the global market, rendering mercury available at
relatively low prices and thus motivating for continued usage in regions of the world where mercury
is less strictly regulated. For pure or almost pure mercury and some inorganic mercury compounds,
provisions for safe storage and a ban of export has entered into force in the EU with export ban and
safe storage regulation (see section on regulation above). This trend is expected to become global in
the near future, as the Minamata Convention includes similar provisions on supply and storage, as
well as other provisions for mercury containing waste (as does the EU legislation).
In the light of the declining consumption and the EU export ban and safe storage regulation, some
of the recycling companies are now developing and marketing services for immobilisation and final
storage of obsolete mercury. However, recycling (except from chlor-alkali facilities) and import are
the only remaining legal sources of mercury supply in the European Union.
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4.1
Release of mercury from waste disposal
As mentioned above, no recent quantifications of mercury releases to all environmental media from
waste disposal have been made. See however the latest available quantification (2001, from
Christensen
et al.,
2004) in Section 5.3.1. The official reporting of mercury releases from waste
incineration is included in the “energy production” category in Table 25 in Section 5.3.1. Expected
trends in mercury inputs to waste (equaling total releases) are described above.
4.2
Summary and conclusions for waste management
Mercury is persistent and toxic no matter what chemical form it is in. Mercury once brought into
the biosphere, for intentional use or as trace pollutant, thus needs to be managed to reduce or avoid
adverse impacts on humans and the environment. In Denmark and the EU, waste fractions
containing mercury is therefore categorized as hazardous waste needing special collection and
treatment. Up till recently, recycling has been the preferred option for mercury waste, likely for the
general waste hierarchy, but as the demand for mercury for intentional use has decreased in
developed countries over the last decades, the priority for high-concentration mercury waste is now
turning towards environmentally safe final deposition.
New generation of mercury waste is likely dominated by solid wastes from power plants, which are
mainly re-used in construction works. Among intentional uses of mercury, the main sources of new
generation of mercury waste are deemed to be:
•
Dental amalgam
•
Fluorescent lamps including CFLs and some specialised discharge lamps
•
Button-cell batteries
•
Certain types of polyurethane elastomer products (low in amounts)
•
U-tube type blood pressure gauges from professional uses (hospitals, clinics, etc.)
While some sectors have strict procedures for special collection of hazardous waste, consumers have
been observed to have difficulties in, or lack motivation, for waste separation, and high collection
rates have been difficult to achieve. Accordingly, a substantial fraction of the mercury waste
disposed of must still be expected to be lost to municipal waste incineration.
Many mercury containing products has a significant life span, and on top of that, some are the types
of technical products which private users tend to hoard before disposing them. It has thus earlier
been observed that some product types still appear in the waste stream more than a decade after
cessation of their use. Special collection schemes and filters capturing mercury in waste incineration
flue gasses will thus still be necessary for decades after a potential total cessation of intentional
mercury use.
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5. Environmental effects and
exposure
5.1
Environmental hazard
5.1.1
Classification
Elemental mercury and all mercury compounds except mercuric sulphide (cinnabar) have the
classification Aquatic Acute 1, Aquatic Chronic 1 with the hazard statements H400, H410, according
to Annex VI of Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP Regulation).
These classifications apply to substances that are ”very toxic to aquatic life” (H400), i.e. exert 50 %
acutely lethal or other significant toxic effects (LC50/EC50) on fish, crustacean or algae/aquatic
plants at concentrations below 1 mg/l (Acute Category 1), or are “very toxic to aquatic life with long
lasting effects” (H410). I.e. in addition to the high acute toxicity mercury (compounds) are not
rapidly degradable in the aquatic environment and they have a potential for bioaccumulation
(bioconcentration factor (BCF) >500
in fish or log Kow ≥4)
(Chronic Category 1).
5.1.2
Environmental effects
Aquatic environment
Inorganic forms of mercury, including elemental mercury, are dominant in the aquatic
environment. However, the focus of the environmental concern pertaining to mercury has been on
the organic mercury substances, above all methylmercury (MeHg), as these substances are generally
more toxic to living organisms than the inorganic forms and, further, may accumulate to high levels
in fish, (marine) mammals and birds via marine food webs (AMAP, 2011; UNEP, 2013).
Bioconcentration factors (BCF) in fish of several thousands have been reported for methylmercury
and it is found that methylmercury can account for more than 95 % of the total body burden in fish
(ECHA, 2011b).
Although the acute and chronic toxicities of methylmercury to fish are high, the direct exposure of
fish to this form of mercury in the water column is apparently not of serious concern to adult fish
where the accumulation is rather due to the intake via food. Early life stages of fish (embryos,
larvae) do, however, appear to be more sensitive to direct exposure to waterborne methylmercury
(ECHA 2011b, quoting UNEP 2002).
According to UNEP’s Global Mercury Assessment (cfr. ECHA 2011b) there is only very limited data
on acute/short term effects in crustaceans and other aquatic invertebrates but indications are that
larval stages may typically be 100 times more sensitive to mercury than adult life stages. Typical
larval stage EC50 values could be around 10 µg/L. A chronic NOEC for survival of
D. magna
exposed to methyl mercuric chloride was reported at 0.26 µg/L with a corresponding NOEC for
reproduction at 0.04 µg/L (ECHA, 2011b). Older studies with the same substance using the eastern
oyster (Crassostrea
virginica)
as test organism are not considered suitable for use in risk
assessment.
Among algae and aquatic plants, the most sensitive endpoint reported by ECHA (2011b) was a 14
day NOEC = 1 µg/L for the marine macrophyte oarweed (Laminaria
saccharina).
A NOEC of 0.2
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µg/L has been reported for bacteria exposed to organic mercury while for inorganic mercury an
average NOEC = 11 µg/L was calculated.
ECHA (2011b) summarizes the most important ecotoxicological endpoints for methylmercury in the
aquatic environment as shown in Table 24.
TABLE 27
SUMMARY OF MOST IMPORTANT ECOTOXICOLOGICAL ENDPOINT FOR METHYLMERCURY (MEHG) IN
THE AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT (SOURCE: ECHA, 2011B).
Species
Value
(µg/L)
Acute toxicity
(MeHg)
Chronic toxicity
(MeHg)
Chronic toxicity
(methyl mercuric
chloride)
Chronic toxicity
(MeHg)
Short term toxicity
(MeHg)
Tubellarian flatworm
(Dugesia
dorotocephala)
Marine macrophyte, oarweed
(Laminaria
saccharina)
1
0.03
14 d NOEC, fissioning and
neurotoxic effects
14 d NOEC, development of
zoospores, growth of
sporophytes.
Rainbow trout
(Onchorhynchus
mykiss)
Brook trout
(Salvelinus
fontinalis)
Water flea
(Daphnia
magna)
0.26/0.04
(as Hg)
NOEC, survival/reproduction,
respectively
0.08
248 d NOEC, growth of larvae
5.0
96 h LC50
Remarks
For another organomercury compound such as phenylmercury acetate (PMA) acute toxicities
(LC50/EC50) down to 8.6 µg/L for fish (rainbow trout fingerlings;
O. mykiss)
have been reported
in ECHA (2011b) together with a chronic NOEC for growth at 0.11 µg/L for
O. mykiss
and 1.12 µg/L
for survival of
Daphnia magna.
So PMA is also to be considered very toxic to aquatic organisms.
Soil/terrestrial environment
In the soil environment the common form of mercury is Hg (II) while methylmercury normally only
occurs in low percentages (0.5-1.5 %). Earthworms are considered an ecologically important group
of organisms and as they typically constitute over 90 % of the invertebrate biomass in soil, they are
considered appropriate for assessment of bioaccumulation in terrestrial food webs. In a study with
Eisenia fetida
the biota-soil accumulation factors (BSAF) were in the range 0.6 – 3.3 for total
mercury while for methylmercury BASFs ranged from 175 to 249 (ECHA, 2011b). It was found that
direct exposure through soil was more important for the uptake than ingestion of food.
An LD50 = 2.39 ppm was found when the earthworm
Ocotchaetus pattoni
was exposed for 10 days
to mercury chloride. In a 21 day study with the earthworm
Eisenia fetida
a NOEC (reproduction) =
10 mg Hg/kg dw was calculated. Effect concentrations on springtails (Collembola) were
approximately at the same order of magnitude (ECHA, 2011b).
Historically, a number of organic mercury salts have been used as active ingredients in e.g. seed
dressings for cereals to prevent deterioration by undesired microorganisms (primarily fungal
diseases) but also for other types of control of bacteria and fungi. E.g. phenylmercury acetate (PMA)
has been shown to be toxic to soil microorganisms and completely inhibiting bacteria populations at
a concentration of 25 mg PMA/kg soil up to 33 days after treatment (ECHA, 2011b).
Many seabirds feeding on fish and shellfish etc. often contain high concentrations of mercury. Field
observations of certain fish-eating predatory birds (sea eagle, fish eagle) indicate that intoxications
and reproductive impairment occurred when the birds had fed on fish containing 0.2 – 0.2 mg/kg
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of methylmercury (ECHA, 2011b). Birds and terrestrial mammals not feeding on fish or other
aquatic organisms appear to be less exposed to mercury via the food chain.
5.2
Environmental fate
Being an element, mercury cannot be degraded by natural processes, but only transformed between
different chemicals forms and physical states. Mercury once released to the environment thus
persists there and is only gradually demobilised by absorption to other persistent materials and
through burial in deep sea sediments. As described elsewhere, present day releases of mercury in
Denmark are much lower than just 2 or 3 decades ago, and while local new mercury releases
contribute to mercury’s impacts today, the legacy of mercury releases from former decades still have
their consequences today. Another significant and continuing input of mercury to the Danish
environment is mercury travelling with the atmosphere from around the globe.
Mercury released to the atmospheric environment is deposited via wet and dry deposition on
vegetation, soil and water surfaces. Elemental mercury can travel in the range of thousands of
kilometres with the air masses before being deposited, whereas oxidised mercury has a higher
affinity for adsorption on other materials and dilution in precipitation water and aerosols, and is
thus generally deposited within a range of hundreds of kilometres from the emission source.
Mercury once deposited on solid surfaces can be re-emitted to the atmosphere. This happens by
natural processes, due to mercury's low boiling point, and is also enhanced by human activity such
as the use of bio-fuels, changes in land-use and as a consequence of global warming. Re-emission
prolongs the travelling distances of mercury and makes it a truly global pollutant.
When mercury is discharged to aquatic environments, some of it is adsorbed to organic matter and
certain inorganic materials, and will precipitate to the sediments, while a minor part stay in the
diluted phase. Biological and physical processes in the sediment may however re-mobilise the
mercury to the water phase. In large rivers, mercury is transported over transnational distances,
and to the marine environment, where it can be transported globally by the ocean currents (UNEP,
2013). Discharges of mercury to the aquatic environment are not well reported in an
international/global context, and their importance may likely be underestimated. For the Danish
situation, discharges with wastewater to the aquatic environment are however monitored as part of
the national environmental surveillance programme, NOVANA.
In the aquatic (sediments) and terrestrial environments, elemental mercury is transformed by
natural microbial processes to the more toxic organic mercury compound methylmercury (MeHg),
in particular under anoxic/anaerobic conditions. The same happens in landfills in their methane
producing phase. The toxic effects of methylmercury are the key endpoints in both the human and
environmental toxicity of mercury and its compounds.
Further aggravating the impacts of mercury, methylmercury is heavily bio-accumulated and bio-
magnified in the aquatic environment, producing methylmercury concentrations in top predators
which are toxic to both humans (eating tooth whales, seals, etc.) and to the top predators
themselves, as observed in the hatching pattern and behavioural changes in birds feeding on
aquatic foods (UNEP, 2002).
In soil, mercury has a relatively strong affinity to organic matter, yet in an equilibrium with the air
and water phases, which means that mercury once deposited or disposed is subject to possible
further transport in the biosphere. Immobilisation of mercury waste is therefore very important in
order to prevent further spreading and exposure.
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Long range transport and mercury and mercury compounds in the Arctic
Environment
Besides the general transport mechanisms of mercury in the environment mentioned above, special
mechanisms accumulate mercury to a higher degree than average in the polar environments, where
the cold climate and specific chemical processes linked to prevailing atmospheric conditions
enhance mercury deposit on snow and ice and ultimately into the aquatic environment. This, in
combination with the high bio-magnification of methyl-mercury in the polar aquatic environment,
results in higher than average exposure of wildlife and indigenous populations on traditional
hunter/fisherman's diets, in spite of the few local mercury release sources (AMAP, 2011).
As all other countries, also territorial Denmark receives mercury deposition from remote sources
due to global transport of mercury. This global transport has been one of the main reasons for the
Nordic and European countries’ continued focus on mercury, even after many national mercury
sources have been reduced or eliminated, a key reason for these countries’ support for the creation
of a global treaty on mercury, the Minamata Convention.
5.2.1
5.3
Environmental exposure
5.3.1
Sources of release emissions to the environment in Denmark
DCE (formerly NERI/DMU; 2012) annually produces national estimates of atmospheric emissions
of various priority pollutants, including mercury, for Denmark's reporting to international fora. In
the case of mercury the estimates are submitted to the UNECE under the Convention on Long-
range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP). The estimates are based on the use of activity rate
data (such as coal consumption) and emission factors. The official time series of thus estimated
emissions from 1990, including the latest available aggregated estimates for mercury from 2012 are
listed in Table 25 below.
It should be noted that waste incineration is categorised under energy industries, and that the
emissions categorised under waste are primarily originating from crematoria (from the use of
dental amalgam). Non-industrial combustion is dominated by wood combustion in residential
facilities. The fluctuations in emissions from industrial processes owe to the shut-down in 2002
followed by re-opening and a second shut-down in 2005 of the only Danish electro-steelwork (DCE,
2012).
These estimates should likely be considered incomplete, as they do not include all release source
categories. For the sources included, however, a clear trend towards lower emissions can be
observed. Total quantified releases in 2010 were only 14% of those in 1990 according to these
estimates.
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TABLE 28
OFFICIALLY REPORTED ESTIMATES OF ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS FROM SELECTED MAJOR SOURCES IN DENMARK (DCE, 2012).
Hg,
kilogramme
Energy
Industries
Manufacturing
Industries and
Construction
193
219
212
220
210
200
209
226
228
210
210
209
200
201
223
208
215
220
188
128
56
Transport
Non-industrial
Combustion
Industrial
Processes
Waste
Total
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2469
2551
2291
2208
1964
1763
1842
1370
1151
992
596
514
526
548
390
385
334
306
340
262
240
30
31
33
33
34
34
36
37
35
34
33
32
33
33
33
33
34
35
34
32
32
179
184
167
153
145
127
110
95
65
84
66
57
70
77
84
60
54
54
52
40
48
145
144
144
155
168
174
162
93
70
59
99
193
8
18
19
81
19
21
19
11
15
47
47
48
50
49
50
50
50
48
50
48
48
49
49
48
47
48
48
48
48
48
3062
3176
2895
2819
2570
2348
2409
1870
1598
1429
1051
1053
886
925
798
815
703
683
681
522
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Estimated mercury releases from specific major power plants in Denmark in 2010-2012 were
reported by the Danish Energy Association (2013) for this study. They are shown in Table 26. The
estimates are based on calculations in the “EMOK” model using standard values for mercury
concentrations in fuels and standard retention rates for mercury in air pollution abatement
systems. According to the association, the atmospheric emissions have been reduced due to
improved filters for acid gas removal with co-benefit mercury release reductions. The planned
increase in the use of biofuels in the coming years is expected to lower mercury emissions further,
states the association. It can be added that the increasing reliance on wind power will likely also
reduce mercury releases from the sector.
TABLE 29
ESTIMATED ATMOSPHERIC MERCURY RELEASES FROM SPECIFIC MAJOR POWER PLANTS IN
DENMARK IN 2010-2012 (DANISH ENERGY ASSOCIATION (2013).
Hg emission
Asnæs blok 2
Asnæs blok 5*
Asnæs total
Avedøreværket blok 1
Avedøreværket biokedel
Avedøreværket blok 2
Avedøreværket total
Enstedværket biokedel
Enstedværket blok 3
Enstedværket total
Esbjergværket
Skærbækværket
Studstrupværket blok 3
Studstrupværket blok 4
Studstrupværket total
Kyndbyværket
HC Ørstedværket
Svanemølleværket
Herningværket biokedel
Måbjerg
Horsens
Grenå
Vejen
Odense
kg/y
2012
9,87
0,37
10,2
4,54
0,128
4,00
8,7
0,12
2,61
2,7
10,01
0,00
5,7
15,3
20,9
0,21
0,05
0,00
0,15
9,36
0,37
-
-
2011
4,36
11,36
15,7
7,48
0,13
2,83
10,4
0,14
10,90
11,0
15,78
0,02
6,4
8,6
15,0
0,24
0,04
0,54
0,05
6,03
0,75
0,50
-
2010
4,74
11,91
16,6
7,32
0,21
3,07
10,6
0,20
14,50
14,7
10,68
0,00
12,2
6,4
18,6
0,26
0,08
0,87
0,03
13,09
0,51
0,87
0,55
0,7
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AMV 1
AMV 3
Amagerværket
FYV 8
FYV 7
Fynsværket
Nordjyllandsværket
Total emission for these facilities (rounded)*1
0,44
8,26
8,7
0,3
11,08
11,3
11
94
0,69
13,81
14,5
0,23
10,47
10,7
20,3
122
0,83
10,87
11,7
0,3
15,6
15,9
30,4
146
Note: *1: The use of several digits should likely not be deemed as indicative of the precision of the estimates.
Based on available emission estimates emissions from Danish coal fired power plants have been
reduced heavily over the last decades. Mercury- specific filter types exist however, which have the
capacity to reduce air emissions further. These are applied on many (but not all) of the Danish
waste incineration plants, but not on any Danish coal fired power plants.
Updated inventories of mercury releases to other environmental media are not available. A
summary of the latest such inventory, "Mass flow analyses of mercury 2001" is given in Table 27
below. Three of such mass flow analyses, also called substance flow assessments, for mercury has
been performed for Denmark in a time span of some 20 years and significant reduced releases have
been observed over the decades, especially as regards intentional mercury uses (Christensen
et al.,
2004). It should be noted that the substance flow assessment methodology is different from the
methodology used for the atmospheric emission estimates given in Table 25. The substance flow
assessments are primarily based on specific and detailed data inquiries to the original data sources,
and may thus be more accurate, yet somewhat outdated, as no recent substance flow assessments
for mercury has been performed.
TABLE 30
RELEASES OF MERCURY TO AIR, WATER AND SOIL, AND DEPOSITION WITH WASTE IN DENMARK IN
2001 (CHRISTENSEN
ET AL.,
2004)
Process/source
Air
Industrial processes
Cement production
Production of iron and steel
Manufacture and repair of light
sources
Oil and gas extraction
Energy production
Coal
Oil
Natural gas
Biological fuels
Use of products
190-310
6-46
1-4
14-61
-
5-7
-
-
-
-
-
1-5
68-110 *3
6-13 *3
-
2-10 *3
260-420
17-66
1-4
18-76
0.2-11
4-86
0.3-10
-
4.7-110
70-170
0.5
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
52
-
70-170
53
-
Water
Estimated loss (kg mercury) to:
Soil
Landfills
Total (rounded)
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Process/source
Air
Dental clinics
Thermometers
Monitoring equipment
Laboratories
Fertiliser and feeding stuffs
Agricultural lime
Lighthouses
Waste management
Disposal of light sources
Collection of metallic mercury
Other recycling activities
Waste incineration
Biological waste treatment
Deposition (excl. residual
products of incineration)
*4
Discharges from municipal
sewage treatment plants
Other discharges of wastewater
Wastewater sludge
Scrap management
Other activities
Cremations/burials
Total (rounded
170-190
820-2,000
-
50-460
-
20-46
40-60
20-80
-
-
6-13
-
0.14
14-280
1-9
-
-
270-1,000
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
2,5
-
-
20-50
-
-
-
5-10
Water
50-250 *1
20-40 *1
20-50 *1
-
-
-
-
Estimated loss (kg mercury) to:
Soil
-
-
-
-
11-36
2-4.4
-
Landfills
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Total (rounded)
50-250 *1
20-40 *1
40-100 *1
-
11-36
2-4.4
5-10
-
-
-
-
30-49
-
-
-
-
2,000-2,900 *3
-
120-480
1-9
-
- *1
2,300-3,900
30-49
120-480
-
-
7.6
-
14-21
14-280
-
62-94
-
-
40-47
180-220
20-80
120-190
220-280
67-75
170-270
-
2,400-3,700
240-270
3,500-6,500
Notes: *1 The stated quantities are discharged to wastewater where, after treatment in sewage treatment plants,
the mercury will end in the sludge and water discharged by the plant. These quantities are therefore included
under "Discharged from municipal sewage treatment plants" and "wastewater sludge," and are not included
under "total." *2 Deposited abroad. *3 Included in "deposition (excl. residual products of incineration). *4
Source name is missing in the reference.
The total mercury mass balance for Denmark in 2001 was depicted graphically by Christensen
et al.
(2004) as shown in Figure 3. It should be noted that the consumption of mercury with intentional
uses has likely declined since 2001 for several of the applications; see Section 3.
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FIGURE 3
MERCURY BALANCE FOR THE DANISH SOCIETY IN 2001 (ALL FIGURES IN KG MERCURY/YEAR; FROM
CHRISTENSEN
ET AL.
(2004).
5.3.2
Monitoring data
NOVANA programme monitoring
TABLE 31
MERCURY INCLUDED IN THE NATIONAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME FOR THE
AQUATIC AND TERRESTRIAL ENVIRONMENT, NOVANA 2011-2015 (NOVANA, 2011)
Substance
Point sources
Marine
Environment
Hg
x
x
x
Streams
Air
pollution
x
Ground
water
x*1
*1 only if surface water shows a hg content
Results from the NOVANA programme
The most recent data on mercury and mercury compounds from the NOVANA programme are
summarised in Table 32.
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TABLE 32
MOST RECENT MONITORING DATA FOR MERCURY AND MERCURY COMPOUNDS IN BIOTA IN THE
ENVIRONMENT FROM THE NATIONAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME, NOVANA.
Substance
Medium
Number of
samples
Average
(maximum)
concentration
mg/kg ww
Hg
Flounder liver
15
0.196 (0.630)*1
-
2011
Hansen, J.W.
(red) 2012
Hg
Flounder muscle
24
0.612 (1.34)*1
-
2011
Hansen, J.W.
(red) 2012
Hg
Flounder muscle
24
0.083 (0.188)
-
2011
Hansen, J.W.
(red) 2012
Hg
Lake sediment
25
0.254 (3.13)*1
0.104
2009
Bjerring, R. et. al.
2010
MeHg
Roach, muscle
1
0.082
-
2009
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
Total Hg
Roach, muscle
1
0.078
-
2009
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
MeHg
Eel, muscle
3
0.091
-
2009
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
Total Hg
Eel, muscle
5
0.100
-
2009
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
MeHg
Flounder,
muscle
Total Hg
Flounder,
muscle
MeHg
Eelpout, muscle
6
0.031
-
2008
5
0.087
-
2009
5
0.083
-
2009
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
Total Hg
Eelpout, muscle
6
0.030
-
2008
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
MeHg
Eelpout, young
6
<0.010
-
2008
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
Total Hg
Eelpout, young
6
0.004
-
2008
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
MeHg
Clams*1
11
0.005
-
2008
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
Total Hg
Clams*1
11
0.021
-
2008
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
MeHg
Cormorant,
muscle
Total Hg
Cormorant,
muscle
13
0.883
-
2009
3
0.236
-
2009
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
Median
concentration,
mg/kg dw
Year
Source
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Substance
Medium
Number of
samples
Average
(maximum)
concentration
mg/kg ww
Median
concentration,
mg/kg dw
Year
Source
MeHg
Otter, muscle
3
0.418
-
2006
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
Total Hg
Otter, muscle
3
0.430
-
2006
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
MeHg
Spotted seal,
muscle
3
0.936
-
-
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
Total Hg
Spotted seal,
muscle
3
1.178
-
-
Strand, J. et al.
(2010)
*1 – Concentration in mg/kg dw
*2 - 10 common clams + 1 thick shelled river clam sample.
TABLE 33
Mercury and mercury compounds in aquatic point sources in Denmark
The most recent monitoring data concerning municipal waste water treatment plants (MWWTP),
industrial sources and rainwater outlets from the NOVANA programme are shown in the table
below.
TABLE 32
MOST RECENT MONITORING DATA FOR MERCURY AND MERCURY COMPOUNDS IN OUTLET TO THE
AUQATIC ENVIRONMENT FROM POINT SOURCES FROM THE NATIONAL MONITORING AND
ASSESSMENT PROGRAMME
Substance
Point source
Number of
samples *1
Hg
Separate industrial
outlets
Hg
Outlets from MWWTPs
41 (from 31
MWWTPs)
0.00
0.00
(95%
percentile =
0.02
2011
38
Average
µg/L
0.51 (0.81)
Median
µg/L
-
2009
Naturstyrelsen
2010
Naturstyrerlsen
2013
Year
Source
Kjølholt et al. (2011) calculated for the Danish Nature Agency ”Mean Nation Concentrations
(NMC)” for several contaminants in outlets from MWWTPs based on the complete data from the
point source part of the NOVANA programme from 1998-2009 and found for total mercury a NMC
= 0.086 µg/L.
According to the latest Artic assessment report on mercury (AMAP, 2011), more than 90 % of the
present-day concentration of mercury in upper trophic level animals in the Arctic is believed to have
originated from human sources. The average rate of increase in wildlife species over the past 150
years is 1 % to 4 % per year. In total, the level has increased by a factor of 10 over the last 150 years.
Most of the time-series datasets showing increasing trends in recent decades are for marine species,
followed by predatory freshwater species. Increasing trends have been observed in some marine
species in Canada and West Greenland despite reductions in North American emissions while in
northern Europe such trends are less apparent (AMAP, 2011).
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5.4
Summary and conclusions on environmental effects and exposure
Mercury and mercury compounds are according to the CLP Regulation classified as very toxic to
aquatic life with long lasting effects (Aquatic Acute 1, and Aquatic Chronic 1). Mercury is an element
and therefore not degradable and some mercury compounds, not least methylmercury, have a high
bioaccumulation potential.
Mercury and mercury compounds, in particular organic mercury compounds and above all
methylmercury, are highly toxic to many aquatic organisms, often with short term effects levels in
the low microgram/liter range and chronic NOECs below 1 µg/L. Bioconcentration factors in fish of
several thousands have been reported.
Focus is in particular on top predators living in the aquatic environment or feeding on fish and
shellfish, i.e. predatory fish, marine mammals, polar bears, and certain predatory birds. Mercury
levels in these animals do not appear to be decreasing despite recent efforts to reduce use or phase-
out mercury, and the levels in edible species may exceed human health criteria. Terrestrial top
predators appear to be less exposed to mercury compounds via the food chain than the
aquatic/marine species. Many mercury compounds are also known to be toxic to bacteria and other
microorganisms and some have actively been used to control undesired microbial growth or impact.
Updated inventories of mercury releases to all environmental media are not available. The latest
such inventory, or substance flow assessment, on mercury is for the year 2001. Aggregated
quantification of atmospheric mercury emissions from 2010 are shown below; note that waste
incineration is reported as part of “energy industries”.
TABLE 33
OFFICIALLY REPORTED ESTIMATES OF ATMOSPHERIC EMISSIONS FROM SELECTED MAJOR
SOURCES IN DENMARK IN 2010 (DCE, 2012).
Sector
Energy Industries
Manufacturing Industries and Construction
Transport
Non-industrial Combustion
Industrial Processes
Waste
Total
Emissions in 2010, kg Hg/y
240
56
32
48
15
48
440
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6. Human health effects and
exposure
As mentioned earlier in this report, and as concluded by the WHO (see below), the RAC opinion on
phenylmercury compounds (ECHA, 2011a), and EFSA (2012), the primary risks to the general
population are caused by exposure to methylmercury via ingestion of aquatic foods. The critical
exposure route of all mercury compounds are via their decomposition and natural formation of
methylmercury (MeHg) in the aquatic environment. The description here therefore focuses on
methylmercury, rather than on the specific mercury compounds. Inorganic mercury is also dealt
with on an aggregate level.
6.1
Human health hazard
Mercury has a number of human health effects. For methylmercury the effects observed to occur at
the lowest exposure levels is neurodevelopmental effects (loss of IQ; learning ability impairment) in
unborn and young children. Other toxic effects include alteration of sensory functions, motor
coordination, memory and attention (National Food Institute,Technical University of Copenhagen,
2013).
A link between methylmercury intake and cardiovascular diseases has been reported. According to
EFSA (2012), although the observations related to myocardial infarction, heart rate variability and
possibly blood pressure are of potential importance, they are still not conclusive.
EFSA states that the critical target organ for toxicity of inorganic mercury is the kidney. Other
targets include the liver, nervous system, immune system, reproductive and developmental
mechanisms (EFSA, 2012).
The RAC opinion on phenyl-mercury compounds states the following as regards effect levels of
methylmercury (ECHA, 2011a):"The
main toxicological concern is for the neurodevelopment in
humans observed after exposure during pregnancy of women consuming notably fish containing
methylmercury. This type of effect does not appear to have a threshold and thus calls again for
reducing any emission as much as possible. Although a provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake
(PTWI) has been established for methylmercury by JECFA based on the most sensitive
toxicological endpoint (developmental neurotoxicity) in the most susceptible species (humans), the
non-threshold approach should be considered.
In adults, the earliest neurological effects of methylmercury poisoning are symptoms such as
paraesthesia, discomfort, and blurred vision. At higher exposure the following symptoms may
appear: disturbances of the visual field, deafness, dysarthria, ataxia, and ultimately coma and
death (UNEP, 2002). The developing nervous system is more sensitive to methylmercury than the
adult. Offspring from mothers consuming methylmercury-contaminated food during pregnancy
have shown a variety of developmental neurological abnormalities including microcephaly,
hyperreflexia, and gross motor and mental impairment (UNEP, 2002; 2008). A provisional
classification for methylmercury has been agreed by the TC C&L on acute toxicity, repeated dose
toxicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, reproduction toxicity and environmental hazards (T;
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R48/25; T+; R26/27/28; Muta. Cat. 3; R68; Carc. Cat. 3; R40, Repr. Cat. 1; R61, Repr. Cat. 3;
R62, R64, N; R50/53) (Ex-ECB, 2010). Effects on the central nervous system including ataxia and
paresthesia have been observed in subjects with blood mercury levels as low as 200 μg Hg/l,
corresponding to 50 μg Hg/g of hair (EPA, 1997).
The monitoring data in the Faroe Islands have been used to epidemiologically link the exposures
through seafood – notably the traditional consumption of pilot whale meat - and the IQ effects in
infants (Grandjean et al. 1997). The Joint FAO/ WHO Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives
(JECFA) established a provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) for methylmercury to 1.6
μg/kg body weight / week (WHO, 2003). This Committee determined that a steady-state
daily
ingestion of methylmercury of 1.5 μg/kg bw/day would result in concentrations in maternal blood
estimated to be without appreciable adverse effects in the offspring in the Faroe and Seychelles
Island studies. From this figure, a general-population DNEL long-term for the oral route can be
calculated by using the assessment factors 10 for the intraspecies differences (general public) and
1 for the quality of the whole database: DNEL = LOAEL/AF = 1.5/10 = 0.15 μg/kg bw/day.”
EFSA (2012) summarised the kinetics of mercury in the human body as follows: "After
oral intake,
methylmercury is much more extensively and rapidly absorbed than mercuric and mercurous
mercury. In human blood mercuric mercury is divided between plasma and erythrocytes, with
more being present in plasma, whereas methylmercury is accumulated to a large extent (> 90 %)
in the erythrocytes. In contrast to mercuric mercury, methylmercury is able to enter the hair
follicle, and to cross the placenta as well as the blood-brain and blood-cerebrospinal fluid
barriers, allowing accumulation in hair, the fetus and the brain. Mercuric mercury in the brain is
generally the result of either in situ demethylation of organic mercury species or oxidation of
elemental mercury. Excretion of absorbed mercuric mercury occurs mainly via urine, whereas the
main pathway of excretion of absorbed methylmercury is via faeces in the form of mercuric
mercury."
WHO (2010) provided the following short overview of the toxicity of - and exposure to - mercury
and its compounds:
"Mercury exists in the environment in three forms: elemental, inorganic (e.g., mercuric oxide,
mercuric chloride, etc.), and organic (e.g., methylmercury, thimerosal). The form of mercury
affects its absorption and retention in the body.
The primary targets for toxicity of mercury and mercury compounds are the nervous system,
kidneys, and the cardiovascular system. Other systems that may be affected include the
respiratory, gastrointestinal, hematologic, immune, and reproductive systems. It is generally
accepted that developing organ systems (such as the fetal nervous system) are most sensitive to
the toxic effects of mercury.
Nervous System
Methylmercury’s key target is the nervous system. Methylmercury is the most toxic and the most
common form of mercury found in the environment. Exposure to methylmercury occurs from
eating fresh or marine water fish and animals that feed on fish. Due to methylmercury’s ability to
cross the placental barrier, developing fetuses are particularly sensitive. Studies have shown that
children exposed to 10 - 20% of the toxic level seen in adults can
[develop]
cognitive deficits …...
Effects on the nervous system are also the most sensitive toxicological end-point observed
following exposure to elemental mercury. Inorganic mercury, however, has a limited capacity to
cross the blood-brain barrier and thus exposure to inorganic mercury compounds is not
associated with effects on the central nervous system.
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Kidney
Kidney damage is the most sensitive endpoint of exposure to inorganic mercury compounds.
Depending on the dose, inorganic mercury exposure can cause an abnormal amount of protein to
be released into the urine, blood in the urine, a decreased production of urine, and acute kidney
failure.
Cardiovascular
Methylmercury has been found to be associated with increased risks of heart attack and high
blood pressure. It has been reported that increased mortality from cardiovascular effects may be
due to even small increases in methylmercury exposure. Acute exposure to elemental and
inorganic mercury has been associated with increased blood pressure, abnormal heart beat, and
rapid heart rate. There are numerous risk factors to be considered when evaluating
cardiovascular disease, however. "
6.1.1
Classification
The harmonized classification of mercury and mercury compounds as regards human health effects
is strict. It varies slightly among the compound groups as shown in Table 35 below. Elemental
mercury, inorganic and organic mercury compounds all exhibit varying degrees of acute toxicity
from one or more exposure routes as well as specific target organ toxicity from single or repeated
exposure. In addition elemental mercury and mercury dichloride are classified as toxic to
reproduction in category 1B and 2 respectively.
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TABLE 34
HARMONISED HUMAN HEALTH CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO ANNEX VI OF REGULATION (EC) NO
1272/2008 (CLP REGULATION)
Index No
International
Chemical
Identification
CAS No
Classification
Hazard Class
and Category
Code(s) *1
080-001-00-0
Mercury
7439-97-6
Repr. 1B
Acute Tox. 2 *
STOT RE 1
080-002-00-6
Inorganic compounds of
mercury with the exception of
mercuric sulphide and those
specified elsewhere in this
Annex
080-003-00-1
Dimercury dichloride;
mercurous chloride;
calomel
10112-91-1
Acute Tox. 4 *
Eye Irrit. 2
STOT SE 3
Skin Irrit. 2
080-004-00-7
Organic compounds of mercury
with the exception of those
specified elsewhere in this
Annex
080-005-00-2
Mercury difulminate;
mercuric fulminate;
fulminate of mercury
628-86-4
-
Acute Tox. 2 *
Acute Tox. 1
Acute Tox. 2 *
STOT RE 2 *
.
Acute Tox. 3 *
Acute Tox. 3 *
Acute Tox. 3 *
STOT RE 2 *
080-005-01-X
Mercury difulminate;
mercuric fulminate;
fulminate of mercury [≥ 20 %
phlegmatiser]
628-86-4
Acute Tox. 3 *
Acute Tox. 3 *
Acute Tox. 3 *
STOT RE 2 *
H331
H311
H301
H373 **
080-006-00-8
Dimercury dicyanide oxide;
mercuric oxycyanide
1335-31-5
Acute Tox. 3 *
Acute Tox. 3 *
Acute Tox. 3 *
STOT RE 2
H331
H311
H301
H373**
080-007-00-3
Dimethylmercury; [1]
diethylmercury [2]
593-74-8 [1]
627-44-1 [2]
Acute Tox. 2 *
Acute Tox. 1
Acute Tox. 2 *
STOT RE 2 *
080-008-00-9
phenylmercury nitrate; [1]
phenylmercury hydroxide; [2]
basic phenylmercury nitrate [3]
080-009-00-4
2-methoxyethylmercury chloride
55-68-5 [1]
100-57-2 [2]
8003-05-2 [3]
123-88-6
Acute Tox. 3 *
STOT RE 1
Skin Corr. 1B
Acute Tox. 3 *
STOT RE 1
Skin Corr. 1B
H330
H310
H300
H373 **
H301
H372 **
H314
H301
H372 **
H314
H331
H311
H301
H373 **
H302
H319
H335
H315
H330
H310
H300
H373 **
-
Acute Tox. 2 *
Acute Tox. 1
Acute Tox. 2 *
STOT RE 2 *
Hazard
statement
Code(s) *2
H360D***
H330
H372**
H330
H310
H300
H373 **
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Index No
International
Chemical
Identification
CAS No
Classification
Hazard Class
and Category
Code(s) *1
Hazard
statement
Code(s) *2
H341
H361f***
H300
H372**
H314
H301
H372 **
H314
080-010-00-X
mercury dichloride;
mercuric chloride
7487-94-7
Muta. 2
Repr. 2
Acute Tox. 2 *
STOT RE 1
Skin Corr. 1B
080-011-00-5
phenylmercury acetate
62-38-4
Acute Tox. 3 *
STOT RE 1
Skin Corr. 1B
*1 Use of "*" in connection with a hazard category (e.g. Acute Tox. 4 * ) implies that the category stated shall
be considered as a minimum classification.
*2 Use of "**" in connection with a hazard statement code (e.g. H373** ) implies that the route of exposure is
not specified.
*3 Use of "**" in connection with a hazard statement code (e.g. H373** ) implies a hazard statement for
reproductive toxicity.
6.2
Human exposure and risk assessment
Indirect exposure in Denmark
The National Food Institute, Technical University of Copenhagen (2013) assessed the dietary
exposure of mercury of the Danish population in the period 2004-2011. The fish species cod and
plaice were used as marker foods. They found an indication that the environmental levels of
mercury had been at a stable level over the last decades. For some food types, concentration data
from previous monitoring periods were used in the calculations of the exposure.
They estimated the mean exposure at 1.7 µg/kg bw/day, which is slightly lower than the estimated
exposure from the previous monitoring period at 1.9 µg/kg bw/day for adults. On the other hand,
the exposure for the high-end consumers had increased as indicated by an increase in the 95th
percentile to 4.3 µg/kg bw/day compared to 4.1 µg/kg bw/day in the previous period. Fish and fish
products contributed with 68.1% of the total average mercury exposure. Other food groups with
significant mercury contributions were fruits and fruit products (9.5%), cereals and cereal products
(5.9%) and beverages (3.9%).
Converting the total mercury concentrations to methylmercury and inorganic mercury using the
conversion factors used by EFSA (2012), the National Food Institute, Technical University of
Copenhagen (2013) concluded as regards risk assessment: The mean and 95th percentile exposures
were calculated to be at 0.018 and 0.051 µg/kg bw/day, respectively. This corresponds to 10%
(mean) and 27% (95th percentile) of the EFSA TWI value for methyl-mercury. Similarly, for
inorganic mercury a mean and 95th percentile exposure at 0.012 and 0.034 µg/kg bw/day,
respectively, were calculated. These values correspond to 2.2% (mean) and 6.0% (95th percentile),
respectively, of the EFSA TWI value for inorganic mercury. In other words, the assessment
indicated that the exposures via food of the general Danish population to methylmercury (from
aquatic foods) and inorganic mercury (other foods) were within the levels considered by the
National Food Institute, Technical University of Copenhagen to be safe.
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TABLE 35
OVERVIEW OF HEALTH-BASED GUIDANCE VALUES FOR THE TOLERABLE EXPOSURE TO MERCURY
SPECIES
Element/species
Mercury, inorganic
Body
JECFA
EFSA
Methylmercury
JECFA
EFSA
US EPA
Year
2011a
2012a
2004
2012a
2001*
Type
PTWI
TWI
PTWI
TWI
Reference
dose, RfD
Note *1: The Reference dose was established in 2001 and is defined somewhat differently than the TWI’s; the
reference here is US EPA (2013).
Value
4 µg/kg bw/week
4 µg/kg bw/week
1.6 µg/kg bw/week
1.3 µg/kg bw/week
0.1 µg/kg bw/day
Consumer advice related to mercury
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration has issued consumer advice as regards fish
consumption. It recommends eating fish twice a week as a main dish and several times a week as
lunch cold cuts, totaling at least 350 gram fish/week, of which at least 200 grams should be fatty
fish like salmon, trout, mackerel and herring. As regards mercury, it states that pregnant women
and children under age 14 should restrict their intake of predator fish to 100g/week, and children
below age 3 years should have only 25 g/week. Predator fish explicitly mentioned are ray, halibut,
escolar, swordfish, shark, pike, perch, pikeperch and tuna (both canned and steaks).
Indirect exposure in the Faroe Islands and Greenland
As regards the situation in the Faroe Islands, a comprehensive study was performed (and is still
being performed) that provided evidence that unborn and young children's neural development
was adversely affected by methylmercury in the mothers' tissue at much lower levels than
previously observed (Grandjean
et al.,
1997). Examinations of the same children at age 14 suggested
that the cognitive deficits were permanent (Debes
et al.,
2006). The study's results have been
among the main drivers behind the increased attention to mercury as a global pollutant and are a
primary source of data for establishment of exposure thresholds globally. The population of the
Faroe Islands are subject to high exposures due to their high intake of aquatic foods and especially
intake of pilot whale, which is a traditional food in the islands. Predatory whale tissue has high
mercury concentrations because they are at the top of the aquatic food web where methylmercury is
accumulated. Recent research in a UK birth cohort indicates that a substantial fraction of the
population (about 20% who have at least 4 mutations in 4 important genes) is genetically much
more susceptible to methylmercury’s adverse health effects than population with none or only one
mutation. This implies that the (average) effects observed in earlier studies may underestimate the
toxicity in the most vulnerable part of the population (Julvez
et al.,
2013).
Similarly, studies have observed high exposure of inhabitants in Greenland (UNEP, 2012): "A
2011
report by the Arctic Monitoring and assessment Programme (AMAP) reported that mercury levels
are continuing to rise in some Arctic species, despite reductions over the past 30 years in
emissions from human activities in some parts of the world. It reports a ten-fold increase in the
last 150 years in levels in belugas, ringed seals, polar bears and birds of prey. Over 90 per cent of
the mercury in these animals, and possibly in some Arctic human populations, is therefore
believed to have originated from human sources. The average rate of increase in wildlife over the
past 150 years is one to four per cent annually. The report is clear about the implications for
human health: “The
fact that trends are increasing in some marine species in Canada and West
Greenland despite reductions in North American emissions is a particular cause for concern, as
these include species used for food”
(AMAP, 2011). A recent study of the preschool children in three
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regions of the Arctic showed that almost 59% of children exceeded the provisional tolerable weekly
intake (PTWI) level for children (Tian et al., 2011; WHO, 1998)."
Indirect exposure in the EU
As regards the general European situation, EFSA (2012) concluded the following on exposure
levels: "EFSA
was asked by the European Commission to consider new developments regarding
inorganic mercury and methylmercury toxicity and evaluate whether the Joint FAO/WHO Expert
Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) provisional tolerable weekly intakes for methylmercury of
1.6 µg/kg body weight (b.w.) and of 4 µg/kg b.w. for inorganic mercury were still appropriate. In
line with JECFA, the CONTAM Panel established a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) for inorganic
mercury of 4 µg/kg b.w., expressed as mercury. For methylmercury, new developments in
epidemiological studies from the Seychelles Child Developmental Study Nutrition Cohort have
indicated that n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish may counteract negative effects
from methylmercury exposure. Together with the information that beneficial nutrients in fish may
have confounded previous adverse outcomes in child cohort studies from the Faroe Islands, the
Panel established a TWI for methylmercury of 1.3 µg/kg b.w., expressed as mercury.
The mean dietary exposure across age groups
(based on data collected for EU countries, Eds.)
does not exceed the TWI for methylmercury, with the exception of toddlers and other children in
some surveys. The 95th percentile dietary exposure is close to or above the TWI for all age groups.
High fish consumers, which might include pregnant women, may exceed the TWI by up to
approximately six-fold. Unborn children constitute the most vulnerable group. Biomonitoring
data from blood and hair indicate that methylmercury exposure is generally below the TWI in
Europe, but higher levels are also observed. Exposure to methylmercury above the TWI is of
concern. If measures to reduce methylmercury exposure are considered, the potential beneficial
effects of fish consumption should also be taken into account.
Dietary inorganic mercury exposure in Europe does not exceed the TWI, but inhalation exposure
of elemental mercury from dental amalgam is likely to increase the internal inorganic mercury
exposure; thus the TWI might be exceeded."
The Danish Health and Medicines Authority (2013) is aware of that there may be discussion on the
principle in this EFSA opinion, where methylmercury exposure is “allowed” to diminish or cancel
health benefits from the consumption of nutrients in seafood.
The results indicate, in other words, that a significant part of the EU population may be exposed to
methylmercury via aquatic foods beyond what is considered to be safe levels. Exposure to inorganic
mercury from the diet seems to be within what is considered to be safe levels, yet the presence of
dental amalgam may lead to exposure beyond safe levels for a part of the population.
The RAC opinion on phenyl-mercury compounds states the following regarding exposure in Nordic
countries (ECHA, 2011):
In Nordic European countries a significant increase of the mercury levels has been observed in
2008 compared to levels in fish caught in the period 1990 – 2001 (Ranneklev et al., 2009*). The
concentrations (Norway, Sweden and Finland) increase with fish size, and the EU maximum level
for placing fish products on the market - 0.5 mg Hg/kg (EC, 2006) – in average has been often
exceeded (about 50-80% of the more than 1500 monitored lakes) and even regularly has exceeded
1.0 mg/kg which is an accepted limit for some fish in 5-20% of the lakes (Munthe et al., 2009*)."
(*Eds: References are missing in the published version of (ECHA, 2011)).
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Exposure in the global context
WHO (2010) provided the following short overview of the exposure to mercury and its compounds
in the general, global context:
"Fish, shellfish, and marine mammal consumption.
Some populations have greater exposure to
methylmercury because of the quantity and type of fish, shellfish, and marine mammal consumed,
and the location where the fish, shellfish and marine mammals are harvested. For example,
subsistence fishers and recreational anglers who frequently consume fish from mercury-
contaminated water bodies would have a higher exposure than the general population. Those who
consume long-lived predatory species (such as shark and swordfish) would also have a higher
exposure.
Consumer exposure.
Exposure to elemental or inorganic mercury may occur from dental
amalgams; use of some skin-lightening creams and soaps; some traditional and ethnic medicines;
and some cultural and religious practices.
Occupational.
Occupational exposures of concern include chlor-alkali manufacturing; artisanal
gold mining and processing; and dentistry. Highly exposed workers may take mercury home to
family members on their clothing and persons.
Hot spot exposures.
Hot spots may include artisanal gold mining (mercury is used to remove the
gold from the ore), waste sites, and industrial emissions."
WHO (2010) stated the following as regards populations at particular risk and on susceptibility:
“Populations that may be particularly at risk from mercury exposure include the young and those
with pre-existing disease, deficient diets, genetic predisposition, and/or physiologic limitations.
Populations may also have an increased risk because of their consumption of fish, shellfish, and
marine mammals; occupational exposure; and various consumer and “hot spot” exposures.
Susceptibility
Children.
The fetus, the newborn and children are especially susceptible to mercury exposure
because of the sensitivity of the developing nervous system. Levels of mercury not found to have
an effect in adults or pregnant women, can have persistent adverse effects in children.
Methylmercury from fish consumption may be 50% to 100% greater in a fetus’ blood than in the
mother’s blood due to active transport across the placenta. Thus, new mothers, pregnant women,
and women who might become pregnant should be particularly aware of the potential danger of
methylmercury. In addition to in utero exposures, neonates can be further exposed by consuming
contaminated breast milk. Nervous system development continues into adolescence; thus a child
can be considered more susceptible to mercury exposure even years after birth.
Pre-existing disease.
Individuals with diseases of the liver, kidneys, nervous system, and lungs
have a higher risk of suffering the toxic effects of mercury than the general population.
Diet.
Individuals with certain dietary deficiencies (e.g., zinc, selenium) and those who are
malnourished may also be more sensitive.
Population variability.
The inter-individual ability to eliminate methylmercury from the body, and
the genetic predisposition to effects of mercury, both have an effect on the risk of mercury-induced
disease."
As mentioned above, there are indications that certain population groups are genetically
predisposed to the adverse effects of methylmercury.
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6.2.1
Direct exposure pathways in Denmark
Consumers
The most important direct exposure to mercury of Danish consumers is via dental amalgam fillings.
The effects on human health of this exposure is a subject of intense debate. The current
understanding of the issue can be summarized as that effects on persons more susceptible than the
average population have been indicated (se description of susceptibility above), but that impacts on
the general population have not been proven scientifically. A new review of the issue is currently in
process in SCENIHR.
Besides, consumers may be exposed to mercury from broken fluorescent light, which use has
increased significantly due to campaigns against global warming, as well as from old fever
thermometers, barometers, etc. which may still be used, but are not sold anymore in Denmark due
to legal restrictions.
Some consumers may be exposed indoors from mercury spilled previously from broken
thermometers, etc., hidden in floor materials and cracks.
Occupational exposure
Occupational exposure has been observed with dental personnel, especially earlier when dental
amalgam was mixed in the open clinic environment. Today, the use of dental amalgam has been
reduced significantly in Denmark, as its use is restricted to special purposes with high wear and
complex fillings. It is however still considered the best filling material by some dentist due to its
technical qualities. Yet today all, or most, dental amalgam is mixed in closed capsules meaning that
the exposure of dental personnel per filling made is considered to be reduced.
Other occupational use of mercury and its compounds in Denmark is considered very minimal,
compared to the general exposure via the diet, as no widespread uses of mercury and mercury
compounds remain. Mercury compounds were earlier used in a number of laboratory processes, but
they have now largely been substituted for. Porosimetry (measurement of porosity) with mercury
may still be applied in some materials testing laboratories. Laboratories (in Denmark) however
generally have good safety precautions such as fume hoods, etc. , minimizing direct exposure.
When products containing mercury are disposed or recycled they form a potential risk of exposure
for employees handling the waste. This source of exposure unlike the more specific sources as e.g.
amalgam or mercury bulbs is diffuse and may vary between waste groups, over time and between
single deliveries of waste, even if they belong to the same group of waste. The employer’s duty
according to the Danish working environmental regulation to evaluate the risk of exposure before
the work is initiated may be challenged by this diffuse nature. A similar risk of exposure may be
present where employees handle, clean up or in other ways are exposed to emissions of e.g. waste
combustion residues containing mercury (AT, 2013).
6.3
Biomonitoring data
As regards biomonitoring of mercury in mother's hair in the EU, DEMOCOPHES (2013), found in a
relatively small survey in a number of EU countries that (territorial) Denmark is among the
countries with the higher mercury exposure relative to other EU countries, as illustrated in Figure 4.
It should be noted that the study was intended for assessing the relevance of a common EU
monitoring strategy and not to provide a substantial assessment of mercury exposure. The numbers
behind the figure were not yet published (as of late April 2013).
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FIGURE 4
RELATIVE VARIATION IN MERCURY CONCENTRATIONS IN MOTHERS' HAIR AMONG EU MEMBER
STATES FROM A SMALL SAMPLE (AGE-ADJUSTED; DEMOCOPHES, 2013).
6.4
Summary and conclusions regarding human health effects and
exposure
Mercury has a number of human health effects. For methylmercury the effects observed to occur at
the lowest exposure levels is neurodevelopmental effects (loss of IQ; learning ability impairment) in
unborn and young children. According to ECHA-RAC, this effect does not appear to have a lower
threshold. Other toxic effects include alteration of sensory functions, motor coordination, memory
and attention. A link between methylmercury intake and cardiovascular diseases has been reported.
According to EFSA, although the observations related to myocardial infarction, heart rate variability
and possibly blood pressure are of potential importance, they are still not conclusive.
EFSA states that the critical target organ for toxicity of inorganic mercury is the kidney. Other
targets include the liver, nervous system, immune system, reproductive and developmental systems
(EFSA, 2012).
An assessment finalised for the National Food Institute, Technical University of Copenhagen (DTU
Food) in 2013 indicated that the exposures via food of the general Danish population to
methylmercury (from aquatic foods) and inorganic mercury (other foods) are within the levels
considered by theDTU Food to be safe.
EFSA concluded in its 2012 assessment that a significant part of the EU population may be exposed
to methylmercury via aquatic foods beyond what is considered to be safe levels. Exposure to
inorganic mercury from the diet seems to be within what is considered to be safe levels, yet the
presence of dental amalgam may lead to exposure beyond safe levels for a part of the population.
Arctic populations, including the populations of Greenland and the Faroe Islands, are subject to
higher mercury exposures due to their dependence/preference for aquatic diets, in combination
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with the high mercury deposition (from remote sources) and bio-magnification in the many trophic
levels of the arctic marine food web.
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7. Information on alternatives
7.1
Identification of possible alternatives
Today alternatives are commercially available for practically all applications of mercury. This has
enabled a near total phase-out of mercury use in some countries. The Scandinavian countries have
been among the fore-runners on mercury substitution globally. An overview of alternatives to
intentional uses mercury was given in the Global Mercury Assessment (UNEP, 2002) and has been
updated for this project, see Table 34 below.
TABLE 36
OVERVIEW OF ALTERNATIVES TO MERCURY AND ITS COMPOUNDS (ADAPTED FROM UNEP, 2002);
Product or
application
Mercury cell
process for
producing
chlorine,
sodium
hydroxide,
potassium
hydroxide,
etc. referred to
as chlor-alkali
Best Available Technology (BAT) for the production of
chlor-alkali is considered to be membrane technology.
Non-asbestos diaphragm technology can also be considered
as BAT. Mercury cell technology is considered obsolete
worldwide and no new plants of the type are reported
planned.
=/+
Capital investment costs for conversion to the other
processes are significant, but electricity and raw
material costs (together comprising about half of
total operating costs) for the membrane process, as
well as waste treatment and disposal costs, are lower
than for the mercury cell process (Lassen
et al.,
2008)
Alternative(s)
General cost relative to mercury technology
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Product or
application
Dental
amalgam
Alternative(s)
General cost relative to mercury technology
Polymeric composite and compomer fillings are now the
standard for most uses in Scandinavia. Glasionomer fillings
are less costly but have lower physical strength; they can
however be used with less/no drilling and are thus
considered a viable alternative for so-called non-traumatic
treatment and treatment in developing countries because
less equipment is needed for the performing the dental
restoration. Glasionomer is recommended for milk teeth in
Denmark.
The use of dental amalgam is banned in Denmark, yet an
exemption is made for fillings on molar teeth with high
wear. In a 2013 draft text for a revision of the Danish
general mercury ban, the exempted used are specified
further to some distinct restoration situations (DEPA,
2013).
=/+
Some alternatives are less expensive and some are
more expensive than mercury amalgams, some are
easier to apply and others are more difficult, but
none of the alternatives require the specialized
wastewater treatment equipment that dental
professionals need to meet environmental
regulations in many countries.
For the Danish and EU situation, the standard
alternative, composite fillings, as well as compomer
fillings, are more expensive than amalgam filling,
primarily because of the longer time needed to place
large filling in the clinic. For smaller fillings, the
time may be equivalent to amalgam fillings. The
Danish subsidy system for dental services has
negotiated low standard prices for amalgam fillings,
but the same has not been obtained for the
alternatives. The lifetime costs including waste
management of mercury are debated.
Glasionomer is considered to be a low cost
alternative in non-complex situations.
Batteries
Mercury oxide batteries have been substituted by other
battery types, exempt perhaps in military and other highly
standardised uses
All other batteries are now available in mercury -free
versions; for cylindrical and other large batteries, mercury-
free is now the standard in global brands. Button cells have
become mercury-free as the last, but are now fully
available.
=
While comparisons are difficult across a broad range
of batteries (and as battery capacities increase),
standard mercury-free batteries generally cost about
the same as the batteries they replace. Mercury-free
button cells are reported to be 0-10 % more
expensive than mercury-containing equivalents (for
no-Hg-Oxide types); (BIO-IS, 2012)
Medical
thermometers
Electronic fewer thermometers
There are also other alternatives to clinical mercury-
thermometers, “disposables” designed for a single use, and
glass thermometers containing a Ga/In/Sn “alloy”, etc.
=/+
Electronic thermometers are the standard for
consumer use in Europe after recent restrictions of
mercury thermometers; they are now available at
almost the same price as previously paid for clinical
mercury thermometers. Taking into consideration
waste handling cost of mercury, the alternatives are
not deemed more expensive than the mercury
containing types. (ECHA, 2010)
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Product or
application
Other
thermometers
Alternative(s)
General cost relative to mercury technology
Non-medical thermometers are used very widely.
Alternatives to mercury as the measuring medium include
other liquids, gas, electrical and electronic (probably the
most common) sensors. The choice of alternative depends
on the temperature range, the specific application, and the
need for precision. (Mercury thermometers are worthless at
temperatures below –39°C, when mercury turns solid)
For temperature readings in buildings, a bimetal device is
often used, or a Pt-100 or thermocouple is used when a
temperature signal needs to be transferred to a controller
or recorder.
Electronic alternatives have several advantages over
mercury. One thermometer can be adjusted to several
different measuring ranges, thereby substituting for several
mercury thermometers. Further, it is possible to read
temperatures digitally and record them remotely. This
could reduce the chance of human error, as well as reduce
operating costs.
For a very small number of precision applications, mercury
thermometers are still preferred for technical reasons, e.g.
for calibration of other thermometer types, for
international standards, etc.
=
There is such a great range of mercury alternatives
and applications that it can only be said that prices
of alternatives vary widely, but are not necessarily
more expensive.
It should also be noted that, while the initial cost of
a mercury glass thermometer is lower than an
electronic device, the frequency of broken mercury
thermometers is higher, and one electronic
thermometer may replace several mercury ones. If
an annual cost is calculated, the price of an
electronic measuring device is probably no higher
than the mercury device it replaces (UNEP, 2002).
Taking into consideration waste handling cost of
mercury, the alternatives are not more expensive
than the mercury containing types.
Laboratory use
of mercury
It is entirely possible to restrict mercury use in school or
university laboratories to a few specific, controllable uses
(mainly references and standard reagents). Also for several
of the classic standard analyses, such as COD analysis and
Kjeldhls N analysis, mercury-free alternative reagents are
available
Porosimetry can be performed with other techniques for
most purposes, but this would require a change in
established industry and laboratory practices.
=
This initiative has already been implemented in
Swedish legislation. The alternatives are generally
no more expensive, and the need for control of
mercury sources in the laboratory is greatly reduced
(UNEP, 2002).
?
No data have been found on the costs of substitution
of porosimetry
=
These alternatives are in place in many countries.
The range of products and applications is too
diverse to make definitive statements about cost
comparisons, although it is likely that in the
majority of cases costs are roughly comparable, and
environmental benefits are considerable.
Pesticides and
biocides for
different
products and
processes.
The use of mercury in pesticides and biocides has been
discontinued or banned in many countries. Two main
alternatives have been promoted in their place:
1) Use of processes not requiring chemical
pesticides/biocides, and
2) Easily degradable, narrow-targeted substances with
lower environmental impact.
Biocide use in multi-dose vaccines is still considered
needed for some purpose by the WHO. Single dose vaccines
of the same types do however not contain mercury.
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Product or
application
Mercury cell
process for
producing
chlorine,
sodium
hydroxide,
potassium
hydroxide,
etc. referred to
as chlor-alkali
Alternative(s)
General cost relative to mercury technology
Best Available Technology (BAT) for the production of
chlor-alkali is considered to be membrane technology.
Non-asbestos diaphragm technology can also be considered
as BAT. Mercury cell technology is considered obsolete
worldwide and no new plants of the type are reported
planned.
=/+
Capital investment costs for conversion to the other
processes are significant, but electricity and raw
material costs (together comprising about half of
total operating costs) for the membrane process, as
well as waste treatment and disposal costs, are lower
than for the mercury cell process (Lassen
et al.,
2008)
Dental
amalgam
Polymeric composite and compomer fillings are now the
standard for most uses in Scandinavia. Glasionomer fillings
are less costly but have lower physical strength; they can
however be used with less/no drilling and are thus
considered a viable alternative for so-called non-traumatic
treatment and treatment in developing countries because
less equipment is needed for the performing the dental
restoration. Glasionomer is recommended for milk teeth in
Denmark.
The use of dental amalgam is banned in Denmark, yet an
exemption is made for fillings on molar teeth with high
wear. In a 2013 draft text for a revision of the Danish
general mercury ban, the exempted used are specified
further to some distinct restoration situations (DEPA,
2013).
=/+
Some alternatives are less expensive and some are
more expensive than mercury amalgams, some are
easier to apply and others are more difficult, but
none of the alternatives require the specialized
wastewater treatment equipment that dental
professionals need to meet environmental
regulations in many countries.
For the Danish and EU situation, the standard
alternative, composite fillings, as well as compomer
fillings, are more expensive than amalgam filling,
primarily because of the longer time needed to place
large filling in the clinic. For smaller fillings, the
time may be equivalent to amalgam fillings. The
Danish subsidy system for dental services has
negotiated low standard prices for amalgam fillings,
but the same has not been obtained for the
alternatives. The lifetime costs including waste
management of mercury are debated.
Glasionomer is considered to be a low cost
alternative in non-complex situations.
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Product or
application
Pressure
measuring and
control
equipment
Alternative(s)
General cost relative to mercury technology
Mercury is used as a “heavy liquid” in pressure gauges,
pressure switches and pressure transmitters. All of these
may be substituted without any loss of accuracy or
reliability. Three main technologies are used:
•
•
flexible membranes with mechanical/aneroid meters,
electronic piezoelectric crystals and other sensors that
change some physical property when the pressure
changes, and
•
fiber-optic pressure sensors, based on light
transmission.
In pressure gauges like U-tube meters, barometers, and
manometers, mercury is used to continuously indicate
pressure differentials. Here, mercury can be replaced by
another liquid, by gas or by other techniques.
Mercury pressure switches are used to measure pressure or
vacuum differentials. They can be replaced by the same
alternatives as for pressure gauges, but also equipped with
a non-mercury breaker switch.
For remote transmission of measurement readings, a
pressure transmitter is often used. A special mercury
transmitter is a circular tube which may contain up to 8 kg
of mercury. Alternatives use a potentiometer or a
differential transformer to measure pressure changes and
transmit an electronic signal. The most common alternative
device is a diaphragm sensor.
=
Alternatives based on gas, other liquids or a
mechanical spring show no significant differences in
price, compared to mercury devices. Alternatives in
the form of electric and electronic instruments are
only slightly more expensive, but have several
advantages over mercury.
Electrical and
electronic
components*1
With very few exceptions, there are no technical obstacles
to replacing electrical components, conventional relays and
other contacts (even when these are contained in level
switches, pressure switches, thermostats, etc.) with
equivalent mercury-free components. A number of
examples are given below.*1
=
There are no significant price differences between
conventional mercury and mercury-free relays and
contacts, except for very specific applications. There
are also examples of mercury components, which
are more expensive than the alternatives.
Catalysts in
PUR elastomers
A full array of mercury-free alternatives is available for this
application of mercury compounds (Lassen et al., 2008).
No mercury catalysts for this application have been
registered under REACH as of June 20th 2013.
=
Assumed equal price as the alternatives are fully
present on the market and may in fact today
dominate the market.
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Product or
application
Energy-efficient
lamps
Alternative(s)
General cost relative to mercury technology
CFL’s with lower mercury concentrations are required in
EU legislation.
LED lamps are now matured to a level where they meet
light quality demands in offices and home lighting and fully
available on the market.
= /+
CLF’s with lower mercury concentrations are
slightly more expensive. LED’s with indoor light
quality are still significantly more expensive. Low
price LED are marketed for other purposes with less
strct light quality requirements.
Other mercury-containing light sources exist, mainly for
special, limited purposes and sold in much lower
quantities. Mercury-free lamps for these purposes also
exists in most cases.
Artisanal gold
extraction
One alternative is a cyanidation process, which is
reportedly used by many relatively small-scale miners in
Mexico and some elsewhere, despite the fact that it requires
greater investments and greater process skills, and involves
acute toxicity. UNIDO’s approach in addressing this
problem is to encourage the substitution of low recovery,
high mercury consuming and discharging processes with
environmentally safer and high-yield gold extraction
alternatives that reduce the discharge of mercury.
Depending upon the technique, cost and delivery method,
some proposals are better received than others, but none as
yet have been widely adopted.
=
Low tech solutions to reduce mercury releases with
90% are low-priced, but training in their use is
needed.
The economics of these alternatives have not been
investigated in detail here, but indications (the first
process used on a wide scale, and the second
delivering more gold and using less mercury) are
that they are no more expensive than the traditional
mercury process. If they were, they would not be
adopted by the small scale miners.
CETEM/IMAAC/CYTED (2001), ICON (2000),
UNIDO (1997), UNIDO (2000), MMSD (2002)
Note *1: Details on alternatives to electrical and electronic components:
Mercury component
Tilt-switch – silent switch
Alternative component
Various, e.g. manual/mechanical (rolling
steel ball, alternative conducting fluid),
micro-switch
Electronic-switch
Solid state-switch, optical switch
Circuit control, thermostats,
communications
Application
Circuit control, thermostats,
communications
Reed-switch – “mercury-wetted”
Solid-state-switch, electro-optical-switch,
semi-conductor
Communications, circuit control in
sensitive electronic devices
Proximity sensor/switch – “non-touch-
contact”
inductive sensor
capacitive sensor
photoelectric sensor
ultrasonic
shaft rotation, conveyors
conveyors
conveyors
conveyors
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7.2
Historical and future trends
The substitution of mercury has been a priority in both Scandinavia, Europe as a whole and North
America for several decades. In Denmark, elimination of mercury in products and materials has
been prioritised to enable optimal use of waste for energy production, without escalating mercury
emissions from the incineration processes. See the resulting decline in Section 3.3.1 .At the same
time, electronic solutions with added performance characteristics have been introduced over the
last decades, outdating many of the mercury-based instruments.
Lassen et al. (2008) developed an overview of the level of substitution attained in the EU for
different applications of mercury based on the methodology developed by Maag et al. (2007); see
Table 34. As shown, many of the mercury uses have reached a high level of substitution (indicators
3 or above). Since then substitution has been implemented further for some mercury uses. Based on
background knowledge, this is for instance the case for the light sources, where LED light has
evolved quickly and reached a light quality making it suitable for general lighting of offices and
homes and have been marketed for this purpose and others.
TABLE 37
MERCURY SUBSTITUTION LEVEL IN INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES AND PRODUCTS IN THE EU IN 2007
ADAPTED FROM (LASSEN
ET AL.,
2008)
Application area
Light sources
Fluorescent tubes
Compact fluorescent tubes
HID lamps
Other lamps (non electronics)
Lamps in electronics
Batteries
Button cells
General purpose batteries
Mercury oxide batteries
Dental amalgams
Pre-measured capsules
Liquid mercury
Measuring equipment
Medical thermometers
Other mercury-in-glass thermometers
Thermometers with dial
Manometers
Barometers
Sphygmomanometers
Hygrometers
Tensiometers
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
2
3
2
4
4
1
1
0
2
2
Level of substitution
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Application area
Gyrocompasses
Reference electrodes
Hanging drop electrodes
Switches, relays, etc.
Tilt switches for all applications
Thermoregulators
Read relays and switches
Other switches and relays
Chemicals
Chemical intermediate and catalyst (excl PU) *1
Catalyst in polyurethane (PU) production
Laboratories and pharmaceutical industry
Preservatives in vaccines and cosmetics
Preservatives in paints
Disinfectant
Other applications as chemical
Miscellaneous uses
Porosimetry and pycnometry
Conductors in seam welding machines (mainly maintenance)
Mercury slip rings
Maintenance of lighthouses
Maintenance of bearings
Notes:
0
1
2
3
4
Key to assigned substitution level indices:
Level of substitution
4?
3
3
4
4
3
4
2
4
3
3
4
4
3
2
3
N
0
0
No substitution indicated in assessed data sources; development often underway
Alternatives are ready to be marketed, or are present on the market but with marginal market share
Alternatives are being marketed and have significant market share, but do not dominate the market
Alternatives dominate the market, but new products with mercury also have significant market share
Mercury use is fully, or almost fully, substituted
N Not enough data was found to assign an indicator
Maag
et al.
(2007) produced detailed overviews of the observed level of substitution based on
expert judgement in a number of developed countries in Europe, North America and Asia, in an
effort to describe the global substitution possibilities.
Based on the assessment, global phase-out periods for the individual mercury uses were suggested.
By far the most used were assessed to be fully substitutable globally within 8 years (by 2015), while
some were assessed to need a medium transition time of 12 years (to 2019) and only 10 uses were
suggested transition times of 25 years (2032). In total, the lists include 72 individual uses of
mercury and its compounds. See the reference for the full assessment. Table 35 below show the 10
mercury uses deemed to need the longest transition time. They include some major mercury uses
including chlor-alkali production with mercury cells, small-scale gold mining (ASGM), dental
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amalgam and light sources. For these uses, a more detailed analysis of the obstacles for substitution
is given in the reference. Other uses listed include some very specialised applications with small
mercury consumption; primarily laboratory and research uses. Based on current knowledge, the
substitution of mercury cell chlor-alkali production and light sources may actually move faster
today than was expected in 2007.
TABLE 38
MERCURY USES DEEMED AS NEEDING THE LONGEST PHASE-OUT PERIOD IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT
(MAAG
ET AL.,
2007).
Hg use
Time
proposed for
“99%” global
phase-out,
years
Uses needing longer
transition time(?)
Chlor-alkali production
with mercury cells
Small scale gold and
silver mining
Dental amalgam fillings
Linear fluorescent lamps
Compact fluorescent
lamps (CFL, commonly
called energy saving
lamps/bulbs)
Laboratory atomic
absorption spectrometry
Electrodes and references
for physiochemical
measurements, such as
calomel electrodes,
references for Hg analysis
etc.
Ethnic/cultural/ritualistic
uses and folklore
medicine
Infra-red light detection
semiconductors
Neutron source in
synchrotron light
establishments and
perhaps other high-
intensity physical
instruments
Legend:
Index, description of substitution level :
0
1
2
3
No substitution indicated in assessed data sources; development often underway.
Alternatives are in commercial maturation, or are present on the market but with marginal
market shares.
Alternatives are commercially matured and have significant market shares, but do not
dominate the market.
Alternatives dominate the market, but new production with mercury also have significant
?
N
?
?
X
?
N
0
?
X?
25
4
S, I
?
X
25
2-3
I
?
X
25
0-1?
I
?
X
25
25
25
2-4
1
1
I, S, P, T
T
T
-, =, +
?
=/+?
Xx
Xx
Xx
25
4
S, T
?
xxxx
25
3
S
=, +
xxxx
General
substitution
level (overall
assessment)
Focus of
future
substitution
efforts
Price of Hg-
free vs. Hg
product
/process
Relative
magnitude of
Hg
consumption
globally
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market shares.
4
?
Mercury use is fully, or almost fully, substituted.
Indicator uncertain due to limited data.
N Not enough data found to assign an indicator.
Index, focus of needed substitution efforts:
P: Prices of mercury free alternatives are presently markedly higher when environmental
and health costs are not considered.
T: Need for technical development of alternatives.
S: Uses with social implications, such as in small scale gold mining where mercury use
is currently vital to some, but not all, gold mining communities.
I:
Institutional (or structural) implications such as in standardized chemical laboratory
analyses.
0, or
[empty]: No major hurdles identified (other than perhaps resistance in the market to adopt
new products/processes).
INdex, sales prices (not life-cycle prices):
-
=
+
?
Sales price of alternative smaller than Hg use
Approximately same price
Sales price of alternative larger than Hg use
Limited or no data on sales prices available in assessed reviews
7.3
Summary and conclusions on alternatives
Today alternatives are commercially available for almost all applications of mercury. This has
enabled a near total phase-out of mercury use in some countries, including Denmark. The
substitution of mercury has been a priority in both Scandinavia, Europe as a whole and North
America for several decades. In Denmark, elimination of mercury in products and materials has
been prioritised to enable optimal use of waste for energy production, without escalating mercury
emissions from the incineration processes. At the same time, electronic solutions with added
performance characteristics have been introduced over the last decades, outdating many of the
mercury-based instruments.
A full mercury phase-out may take extra time for the following major mercury applications, with the
mentioned reasons mentioned in Table 36.
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TABLE 39
MAJOR MERCURY APPLICATIONS FOR WHICH SUBSTITUTION MAY REQUIRE MORE TIME, AND
REASONS FOR THIS
Mercury
application
ASGM – Artisanal and
small-scale gold
mining
(not used in
Denmark)
Dental amalgam
Status of substitution and observed barriers
The only matured alternative is cyanidation, which is acutely toxic and therefore requires high-tech
containment. Low-tech solutions are available which, in combination with training of miners, can
reduce mercury use and release by 90%. ASGM is poverty-driven which makes it more difficult to
implement reductions.
Mercury-free composites fillings (and compomer fillings) are available and are dominating the
market in some countries. They could in principle eliminate mercury usage, but for complex fillings,
this would be with reduced life-time of the fillings and increased price as a consequence. Low-price
low-impact glaisomer fillings are deemed by some to be a better alternative to amalgam in such
developing countries where price and availability of technical equipment are the determining factors
(in spite of lower strength of this filling material).
Fluorescent lamps
including CFL’s
Over the last decade, low-energy high lifetime LED lamps have emerged on the global market. Within
the last few years, they have reached a lighting quality suitable for office and home light, but so far at
substantially higher prices than fluorescent lamps. Fluorescent lamps can now be produced with
lower mercury concentrations, but their use has increased due to climate campaigns, implying an
increase in mercury consumption for this application in Denmark and globally.
Various laboratory
and research uses
Laboratory analyses are governed by analysis standards, which take long time to change due to
inertia and costs of paradigm changes. In Denmark, they are deemed to be used in relatively closed
systems within strict hazardous waste collection and treatment schemes.
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8. Overall findings and
conclusions
For a summary of overall findings, please read the executive summary of the report.
Conclusions
The seriousness of mercury’s environmental impacts are well described and widely acknowledged.
Most intentional uses and other mercury release sources are well regulated in Denmark and in the
EU, and a new global convention on mercury is under implementation. In a few cases, abatement
technology or management solutions exist which has the potential to reduce mercury releases
further, should this be found necessary. While much has been done to reduce mercury releases and
impacts in Denmark, a substantial workload remains in the developing countries of the world, for
which expertise and other support is needed in order to effectively implement the new global
Minamata Convention on Mercury. Such work is necessary in order to further reduce mercury
deposition and impacts in Denmark, and notably in Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
Data gaps
As indicated, the environmental characteristics of mercury are well described, should it however be
prioritised, the following issues are pointed out for potential follow up as regards the Danish
situation:
•
Update of selected aspects of mercury’s flow and cycle in Denmark for which no recent
data are available. For example the fate of mercury in solid residues from coal fired power
plants in cement production, etc.
•
Assessment of collection efficiency of separate collection of mercury-containing waste in
Denmark (especially products) and establishing a better insight in the time it takes for
obsolete mercury-added products to get out of circulation in society. One element in this
could be analysis of data from the newly introduced continuous mercury measurements in
some waste incineration facilities, which can show peaks in emissions from mercury-added
products.
Future challenges in the Danish context may be the implementation of the Minamata Convention in
Denmark. While most provisions of the convention are likely already covered in Danish and EU
legislation, some adjustments and supplements may be needed.
In the global context much remains to be illuminated as regards national emission inventories,
development of guidelines for inventories, waste management and other aspects under the
Minamata Convention, as well as many other issues.
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9. Abbreviations and
acronyms
Au
Ag
Al
ASGM
MeHg
BCF
BEK
Bw
CAS
CLP
DEPA
EC
ECHA
EEC
EFSA
ELV
ESIS
EPA
EU
EU27
FAO
HELCOM
Kg
Kow
LED
LDCs
LOUS
MWWTP
mg
NOVANA
OSPAR
PTWI
REACH
SVHC
T
TWI
Y
Gold
Silver
Aluminium
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining
Methylmercury
Bioconcentration factor
Bekendtgørelse (Statutory Order)
body weight
Chemical Abstracts Service
Classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (EU
regulation)
Danish Environmental Protection Agency
European Community
European Chemicals Agency
European Economic Community
European Food Safety Authority
End of Life Vehicles (EU regulation)
ESIS (Europan chemical Substances information System)
Environmental Protection Agency
European Union
European Union med 27 member states
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
Helsinki Commission - is the governing body of the Helsinki Convention for the
protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea Area.
Kilogram
Octanol/water partitioning coefficient
Light emitting diode
Least developed countries
List of undesirable substances
Municipal waste water treatment plant
Milligram (10
-3
gram)
Danish National Monitoring and Assessment Programme for the Aquatic and
Terrestrial Environment
The OSPAR-Convention covering the marine environment of the North-East
Atlantic.
Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake
Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals
Substance of Very High Concern
Tonnes (= metric tons)
Tolerable Weekly Intake
Year (/y = per year)
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Miljøundersøgelser, Aarhus Universitet. 36 s. - Faglig rapport fra DMU nr. 794. -
http://www.dmu.dk/Pub/FR794.pdf
Tian, W., Egeland, G.M., Sobol, I., Chan, H.M. (2011): Mercury hair concentrations and dietary
exposure among Inuit preschool children in Nunavut, Canada. Environment International, 37:42-
48. As cited by UNEP, 2013.
UNEP (2012): Draft text for a global legally binding instrument on mercury - Chair’s draft text.
UNEP(DTIE)/Hg/INC.5/3. Accessed March 2013 at
http://www.unep.org/hazardoussubstances/Mercury/Negotiations/INC5/INC5MeetingDocuments
/tabid/3495/language/en-US/Default.aspx.
UNEP (2013): Mercury - time to act. United Nations Environment Programme.
UNEP/AMAP (2013): Technical Background report for the Global Mercury Assessment 2013 -
Sources, Emissions, Releases and Environmental Transport. July 2013, AMAP.
US EPA (2013): Mercury – Methylmercury exposure. Accessed Aug 2013 at
http://www.epa.gov/hg/exposure.htm
Vestforbrænding (2013): Grønt regnskab 2012 (in Danish: Environmental accounts 2012). Accessed
September 2013 at http://issuu.com/vestforbraending/docs/gr__nt_regnskab_2012_web
WHO (1998): Summary and Conclusions: Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives.
Presented at the 51st meeting. World Health Organization. As cited by UNEP, 2013.
WHO (2010): Report on indicators to evaluate and track the health impacts of mercury and identify
vulnerable populations. Document no. UNEP(DTIE)/Hg/INC.2/5, INC2 meeting documents,
October 2010, UNEP.
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1976967_0115.png
Appendix 1:
Mercury compounds pre-registered by ECHA (2013)
Mercury compounds identified in ECHA's (2013b) list of pre-registered substances and certain
mixtures (identified with the use of the search string "mercu"). ECHA's statement of registration
deadline for the substance is also shown.
EC-Number
CAS-Number
Name (as indicated in the pre-registration)
Registration Date
(according to
ECHA, 2013)
200-242-9
200-442-6
200-532-5
201-962-6
202-331-8
202-865-1
202-866-7
203-068-1
203-094-3
203-217-0
203-218-6
203-477-5
203-478-0
203-547-5
203-688-2
204-064-2
204-560-9
204-659-7
204-670-7
204-678-0
205-600-8
205-719-5
205-790-2
207-869-7
207-935-5
208-057-5
208-231-0
208-371-2
55-68-5
59-85-8
62-38-4
90-03-9
94-43-9
100-56-1
100-57-2
102-98-7
103-27-5
104-59-6
104-60-9
107-26-6
107-27-7
108-07-6
109-62-6
115-09-3
122-64-5
123-88-6
124-01-6
124-08-3
143-36-2
148-61-8
151-38-2
498-73-7
502-39-6
506-83-2
517-16-8
525-30-4
phenylmercury nitrate
4-chloromercuriobenzoic acid
phenylmercury acetate
2-chloromercuriophenol
phenylmercury benzoate
phenylmercury chloride
phenylmercury hydroxide
dihydrogen [orthoborato(3-)-O]phenylmercurate(2-)
phenylmercury propionate
phenylmercury stearate
(oleato)phenylmercury
Bromoethylmercury
ethylmercury chloride
(acetato-O)methylmercury
(acetato-O)ethylmercury
Chloromethylmercury
Lactatophenylmercury
2-methoxyethylmercury chloride
2-ethoxyethylmercury chloride
2-ethoxyethylmercury acetate
Iodomethylmercury
2-(ethylmercuriothio)benzoic acid
2-methoxyethylmercury acetate
Mercurobutol
1-cyano-3-(methylmercurio)guanidine
Bromomethylmercury
N-(ethylmercurio)toluene-4-sulphonanilide
Mercuderamide
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
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1976967_0116.png
EC-Number
CAS-Number
Name (as indicated in the pre-registration)
Registration Date
(according to
ECHA, 2013)
208-672-9
208-716-7
209-499-1
209-534-0
537-64-4
539-43-5
583-15-3
584-18-9
di-p-tolylmercury
p-tolylmercury chloride
mercury dibenzoate
2-hydroxy-5-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenylmercury
acetate
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
209-537-7
209-606-1
209-656-4
209-735-3
209-741-6
209-766-2
209-773-0
209-805-3
210-499-9
211-000-7
211-057-8
211-161-3
214-760-8
215-187-6
215-191-8
215-629-8
215-696-3
215-717-6
216-491-1
219-471-0
221-961-4
222-673-1
584-43-0
587-85-9
589-65-1
591-89-9
592-04-1
592-63-2
592-85-8
593-74-8
616-99-9
627-44-1
628-86-4
631-60-7
1192-89-8
1310-88-9
1312-03-4
1335-31-5
1344-48-5
1345-09-1
1600-27-7
2440-42-8
3294-58-4
3570-80-7
disuccinimidomercury
diphenylmercury
mercury succinate
dipotassium tetracyanomercurate
mercury dicyanide
mercury acetate
mercury dithiocyanate
Dimethylmercury
di-o-tolylmercury
Diethylmercury
mercury difulminate
dimercury di(acetate)
Bromophenylmercury
dimercury amidatenitrate
trimercury dioxide sulphate
dimercury dicyanide oxide
mercury(II) sulfide
Cadmium mercury sulfide
mercury di(acetate)
Ethyliodomercury
(bromodichloromethyl)phenylmercury
bis(acetato-O)[μ-(3',6'-dihydroxy-3-
oxospiro[isobenzofuran-1(3H),9'-[9H]xanthene]-2',7'-
diyl)]dimercury
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
227-228-5
227-596-7
227-719-4
228-465-7
228-497-1
5722-59-8
5902-76-1
5954-14-3
6273-99-0
6283-24-5
[benzoato(2-)-C2,O1]mercury
methyl(pentachlorophenolato)mercury
(acetato-O)[3-(chloromethoxy)propyl-C,O]mercury
[μ-[orthoborato(2-)-O:O']]diphenyldimercury
4-aminophenylmercury acetate
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
116
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1976967_0117.png
EC-Number
CAS-Number
Name (as indicated in the pre-registration)
Registration Date
(according to
ECHA, 2013)
229-867-5
231-106-7
231-299-8
231-430-9
231-873-8
231-990-4
231-992-5
232-144-7
232-169-3
233-152-3
233-160-7
233-307-5
233-335-8
233-886-4
234-306-2
235-108-9
236-315-7
239-409-6
239-766-8
239-934-0
242-667-2
243-910-5
244-654-7
245-006-6
247-783-7
249-914-3
251-657-7
264-100-8
6795-81-9
7439-97-6
7487-94-7
7546-30-7
7774-29-0
7783-33-7
7783-35-9
7789-10-8'
7789-47-1
10045-94-0
10048-99-4
10112-91-1
10124-48-8
10415-75-5
11083-41-3
12068-90-5
13294-23-0
15385-57-6
15682-88-9
15829-53-5
18917-83-4
20601-83-6
21908-53-2
22450-90-4
26545-49-3
29870-72-2
33724-17-3
63325-16-6
bis(trichloromethyl)mercury
mercury
mercury dichloride
mercury chloride
mercury diiodide
dipotassium tetraiodomercurate
mercury sulphate
mercury dichromate
mercury dibromide
mercury dinitrate
barium tetraiodomercurate
dimercury dichloride
aminomercury chloride
dimercury dinitrate
mercury, compound with titanium (1:3)
mercury telluride
bis[(trimethylsilyl)methyl]mercury
dimercury diiodide
disodium tetra(cyano-C)mercurate(2-)
''mercurous oxide''
bis(lactato-O1,O2)mercury
mercury selenide
mercury monoxide
amminephenylmercury(1+) acetate
(neodecanoato-O)phenylmercury
cadmium mercury telluride
bis[(+)-lactato]mercury
diiodobis(5-iodopyridin-2-amine)mercury
dihydroiodide
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
269-247-1
281-717-8
68201-97-8
84029-43-6
(acetato-O)diamminephenylmercury
bis(acetato-O)[μ-[1,3-dioxane-2,5-
diylbis(methylene)-C:C',O,O']]dimercury
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
301-792-3
304-523-8
94070-93-6
94276-38-7
[µ-[(oxydiethylene phthalato)(2-)]]diphenylmercury
bis(5-oxo-DL-prolinato-N1,O2)mercury
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
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1976967_0118.png
EC-Number
CAS-Number
Name (as indicated in the pre-registration)
Registration Date
(according to
ECHA, 2013)
304-637-8
94277-53-9
hydrogen µ-hydroxy[µ-[orthoborato(3-)-
O:O']]diphenyldimercurate(1-)
30-11-2010
305-388-8
309-609-9
94481-62-6
100403-63-2
bis(5-oxo-L-prolinato-N1,O2)mercury
Residues, zinc refining flue dust wastewater, mercury-
selenium
30-11-2010
30-11-2010
310-062-3
102110-61-2
Slimes and Sludges, copper conc. roasting off gas
scrubbing, lead-mercury-selenium-contg.
30-11-2010
903-480-8
Reaction mass of cadmium selenide and cadmium
sulphide and ethylene and lead and mercury
30-11-2010
905-110-0
Reaction mass of 4,4',6,6'-tetrabromo[1,1'-biphenyl]-
2,2'-diol and 4,4'-dibromobiphenyl and 4-
bromobiphenyl and butyl acrylate and cadmium and
hexabromo-1,1'-biphenyl and lead and mercury and
nonabromo-1,1'-biphenyl and
tetrabromo(tetrabromophenyl)benzene
30-11-2010
907-375-8
Reaction mass of Carbon black and cadmium and
carbon and chromium and diiron trioxide and lead and
manganese and mercury and pentaerythritol and
titanium dioxide
30-11-2010
912-701-7
Reaction mass of chromium and copper and
lanthanum and mercury
30-11-2010
912-708-5
Reaction mass of cadmium and chromium and copper
and lead and lithium and mercury and nickel and
potassium hydride
30-11-2010
912-719-5
Reaction mass of cadmium and chromium and lead
and mercury
30-11-2010
912-904-0
Reaction mass of chromium and copper and mercury
and nickel
30-11-2010
102 substances with
deadline 30-11-2010
205-112-5
205-340-5
205-485-4
211-458-8
214-667-2
214-741-4
215-308-2
215-651-8
218-790-2
133-58-4
138-85-2
141-51-5
645-99-8
1184-57-2
1191-80-6
1320-80-5
1336-96-5
2235-25-8
6-methyl-3-nitrobenzoxamercurete
sodium 4-hydroxymercuriobenzoate
iodo(iodomethyl)mercury
mercury distearate
methylmercury hydroxide
mercury dioleate
chloro(hydroxyphenyl)mercury
Naphthenic acids, mercury salts
tris(ethylmercury) phosphate
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
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1976967_0119.png
EC-Number
CAS-Number
Name (as indicated in the pre-registration)
Registration Date
(according to
ECHA, 2013)
218-909-8
220-286-2
220-469-7
220-875-4
220-966-9
221-358-6
221-700-4
221-960-9
221-963-5
222-356-8
222-834-6
223-288-1
227-481-1
227-722-0
227-760-8
231-525-5
231-532-3
2279-64-3
2701-61-3
2777-37-9
2923-15-1
2949-11-3'
3076-91-3
3198-04-7'
3294-57-3
3294-60-8
3444-13-1
3626-13-9
3810-81-9
5857-39-6
5955-19-1
5970-32-1
7616-83-3
7620-30-6
(phenylmercurio)urea
(maleoyldioxy)bis[phenylmercury]
chloro-o-tolylmercury
mercury(1+) trifluoroacetate
dimercury(I) oxalate
chloro[p-[(2-hydroxy-1-naphthyl)azo]phenyl]mercury
sodium 4-chloromercuriobenzoate
phenyl(trichloromethyl)mercury
phenyl(tribromomethyl)mercury
mercury(II) oxalate
methylmercury benzoate
dimethyl[µ-[sulphato(2-)-O:O']]dimercury
chloro-2-thienylmercury
chloro-m-tolylmercury
[salicylato(2-)-O1,O2]mercury
mercury diperchlorate
sodium [3-[[(3-
carboxylatopropionamido)carbonyl]amino]-2-
methoxypropyl]hydroxymercurate(1-)
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
231-814-6
231-988-3
231-989-9
231-993-0
231-994-6
232-045-9
232-062-1
233-939-1
235-601-9
236-113-9
236-250-4
236-326-7
236-694-9
237-634-4
237-747-9
7756-49-2
7783-30-4
7783-32-6
7783-36-0
7783-39-3
7784-03-4'
7784-37-4
10451-12-4
12344-40-0
13170-76-8
13257-51-7
13302-00-6
13465-33-3
13876-85-2
13967-25-4
mercury(2+) (9Z,12Z)-octadeca-9,12-dienoate
mercury iodide
mercury diiodate
dimercury sulphate
mercury difluoride
mercury disilver tetraiodide
mercury hydrogenarsenate
phosphoric acid, mercury salt
mercury silver iodide
mercury bis(2-ethylhexanoate)
mercury bis(trifluoroacetate)
(2-ethylhexanoato)phenylmercury
mercury(1+) bromate
dicopper tetraiodomercurate
dimercury difluoride
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
Survey of mercury and mercury compounds
119
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1976967_0120.png
EC-Number
CAS-Number
Name (as indicated in the pre-registration)
Registration Date
(according to
ECHA, 2013)
237-918-8
237-949-7
238-316-8
239-548-2
242-096-9
242-613-8
242-673-5
242-997-7
14066-61-6
14099-12-8
14354-56-4
15516-76-4
18211-85-3
18832-83-2
18918-06-4
19367-79-4
(2-carboxyphenyl)hydroxymercury
mercury dipotassium tetrathiocyanate
phenyl(quinolin-8-olato-N1,O8)mercury
mercury bis(4-chlorobenzoate)
trimercury biscitrate
bromo(2-hydroxypropyl)mercury
(lactato-O1,O2)mercury
[µ-[metasilicato(2-)-O:O]]bis(2-
methoxyethyl)dimercury
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
244-913-4
245-581-3
22330-18-3
23319-66-6
potassium triiodomercurate(1-)
[2,2',2''-nitrilotri(ethanol)-N,O,O',O'']phenylmercury
lactate
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
247-796-8
26552-50-1
hydrogen [3-[(α-carboxylato-o-anisoyl)amino]-2-
hydroxypropyl]hydroxymercurate(1-)
31-05-2013
247-925-8
248-355-2
26719-07-3
27236-65-3
mercury(2+) chloroacetate
diphenyl[µ-[(tetrapropenyl)succinato(2-)-
O:O']]dimercury
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
248-426-8
248-538-7
248-559-1
248-602-4
248-828-3
250-518-8
250-736-3
251-026-6
251-524-3
251-672-9
27360-58-3
27575-47-9
27605-30-7
27685-51-4
28086-13-7
31224-71-2
31632-68-5
32407-99-1
33445-15-7
33770-60-4
(dihydroxyphenyl)phenylmercury
mercury fluoride
[2-ethylhexyl hydrogen maleato-O']phenylmercury
mercury(2+) tetrakis(thiocyanato-N)cobaltate(2-)
phenylmercury salicylate
(metaborato-O)phenylmercury
[naphthoato(1-)-O]phenylmercury
phenylmercury dimethyldithiocarbamate
diammonium tetrachloromercurate
[2,5-dichloro-3,6-dihydroxy-2,5-cyclohexadiene-1,4-
dionato(2-)-O1,O6]mercury
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
258-195-5
259-075-5
52795-88-7
54295-90-8
(2-carboxy-m-tolyl)hydroxymercury, monosodium salt
tetrakis(acetato-O)[µ4-(3',6'-dihydroxy-3-
oxospiro[isobenzofuran-1(3H),9'-[9H]xanthene]-
2',4',5',7'-tetrayl)]tetramercury
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
259-779-2
55728-51-3
(2',7'-dibromo-3',6'-dihydroxy-3-
oxospiro[isobenzofuran-1(3H),9'-[9H]xanthen]-4'-
yl)hydroxymercury
31-05-2013
263-211-9
61792-06-1
[(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]phenylmercury acetate
31-05-2013
120
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1976967_0121.png
EC-Number
CAS-Number
Name (as indicated in the pre-registration)
Registration Date
(according to
ECHA, 2013)
263-665-8
264-306-8
264-920-6
62638-02-2
63549-47-3
64491-92-5
mercury hydrogen cyclohexanebutyrate
di(acetato-O)anilinemercury
hydrogen [metasilicato(2-)-O](2-
methoxyethyl)mercurate(1-)
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
274-638-5
70514-23-7
Slimes and Sludges, chlorine manuf. mercury cell brine
treatment
31-05-2013
275-904-3
276-613-4
71720-55-3
72379-35-2
mercury(1+) ethyl sulphate
hydrogen triiodomercurate(1-), compound with 3-
methyl-3H-benzothiazol-2-imine (1:1)
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
293-676-3
91081-69-5
Slimes and Sludges, chlorine manuf. mercury cell
process
31-05-2013
293-784-0
91082-69-8
Turpentine, Venice, sulfurized, reaction products with
hydrogen tetrachloroaurate(-1), sulfurized turpentine
oil and mercurous nitrate, mixed with mercurous oxide
31-05-2013
294-413-5
91722-12-2
Slimes and Sludges, chlorine manuf. mercury cell brine
treatment wastewater
31-05-2013
295-924-6
298-602-3
299-418-6
92200-97-0
93820-20-3
93882-20-3
Mercury, reaction products with stibnite (Sb2S3)
diiodo(5-iodopyridin-2-amine-N1)mercury
[µ-[[4,4'-(oxydiethylene) bis(dodecenylsuccinato)](2-
)]]diphenyldimercury
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
301-543-9
301-791-8
94022-47-6
94070-92-5
mercury thallium dinitrate
[µ-[(oxydiethylene but-2-enedioato)(2-
)]]diphenyldimercury
31-05-2013
31-05-2013
304-575-1
94276-88-7
Mercurate(1-), [dodecenylbutanedioato(2-)-O']phenyl-
, hydrogen
31-05-2013
309-608-3
100403-62-1
Residues, carbon black-ethylene manufg. pyrolysis
pitch carbonization
31-05-2013
900-275-5
Reaction mass of antimony and arsenic and barium
and cadmium and chromium and dibutyl phthalate
and formaldehyde and lead and mercury and selenium
31-05-2013
900-276-0
Reaction mass of antimony and arsenic and barium
and chromium and dibutyl phthalate and
formaldehyde and lead and mercury and selenium and
zinc
31-05-2013
86 substances with
deadline 31-05-2013
906-798-5
Reaction mass of (neodecanoato-O)phenylmercury
and butane-1,4-diol
909-392-6
Reaction mass of diboron trioxide and mercury
monoxide
31-05-2018
31-05-2018
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EC-Number
CAS-Number
Name (as indicated in the pre-registration)
Registration Date
(according to
ECHA, 2013)
910-320-0
Reaction mass of dimercury amidatenitrate and
mercury
31-05-2018
910-560-6
Reaction mass of Vanadium yttrium oxide (VYO4),
europium-doped and aluminium oxide and
dysprosium triiodide and europium and mercury and
nickel and niobium and sodium and sodium iodide and
yttrium oxide
31-05-2018
911-619-9
Reaction mass of (neodecanoato-O)phenylmercury
and 3-isocyanatomethyl-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexyl
isocyanate
31-05-2018
912-905-6
912-906-1
912-907-7
912-908-2
912-909-8
913-777-4
915-515-4
Reaction mass of mercury and silver
Reaction mass of mercury and tin
Reaction mass of bismuth and mercury and tin
Reaction mass of mercury and zinc
Reaction mass of bismuth and indium and mercury
Reaction mass of mercury iodide and potassium iodide
Reaction mass of (neodecanoato-O)phenylmercury
and neodecanoic acid
31-05-2018
31-05-2018
31-05-2018
31-05-2018
31-05-2018
31-05-2018
31-05-2018
12 substances with
deadline 31-05-2018
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Appendix 2: Background information to Section 2 on regulatory framework
The following annex provides some background information on subjects addressed in Section 2.
The intention is that the reader less familiar with the legal context may read this concurrently with
Section 2.
EU and Danish legislation
Chemicals are regulated via EU and national legislations, the latter often being a national
transposition of EU directives.
There are four main EU legal instruments:
•
Regulations (DK: Forordninger) are binding in their entirety and directly applicable in all EU
Member States.
•
Directives (DK: Direktiver) are binding for the EU Member States as to the results to be
achieved. Directives have to be transposed (DK: gennemført) into the national legal framework
within a given timeframe. Directives leave margin for manoeuvering as to the form and means
of implementation. However, there are great differences in the space for manoeuvering
between directives. For example, several directives regulating chemicals previously were rather
specific and often transposed more or less word-by-word into national legislation.
Consequently and to further strengthen a level playing field within the internal market, the
new chemicals policy (REACH) and the new legislation for classification and labelling (CLP)
were implemented as Regulations. In Denmark, Directives are most frequently transposed as
laws (DK: Love) and statutory orders (DK: Bekendtgørelser).
The European Commission has the right and the duty to suggest new legislation in the form of
regulations and directives. New or recast directives and regulations often have transitional periods
for the various provisions set-out in the legal text. In the following, we will generally list the latest
piece of EU legal text, even if the provisions identified are not yet fully implemented. On the other
hand, we will include currently valid Danish legislation, e.g. the implementation of the cosmetics
directive) even if this will be replaced with the new Cosmetic Regulation.
•
Decisions are fully binding on those to whom they are addressed. Decisions are EU laws
relating to specific cases. They can come from the EU Council (sometimes jointly with the
European Parliament) or the European Commission. In relation to EU chemicals policy,
decisions are e.g. used in relation to inclusion of substances in REACH Annex XVII
(restrictions). This takes place via a so-called comitology procedure involving Member State
representatives. Decisions are also used under the EU ecolabelling Regulation in relation to
establishing ecolabel criteria for specific product groups.
Recommendations and opinions are non-binding, declaratory instruments.
•
In conformity with the transposed EU directives, Danish legislation regulate to some extent
chemicals via various general or sector specific legislation, most frequently via statutory orders (DK:
bekendtgørelser).
Chemicals legislation
REACH and CLP
The REACH Regulation
2
and the CLP Regulation
3
are the overarching pieces of EU chemicals
legislation regulating industrial chemicals. The below will briefly summarise the REACH and CLP
2
3
Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH)
Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures
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provisions and give an overview of 'pipeline' procedures, i.e. procedures which may (or may not)
result in an eventual inclusion under one of the REACH procedures.
(Pre-)Registration
All manufacturers and importers of chemical substance > 1 tonne/year have to register their
chemicals with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Pre-registered chemicals benefit from
tonnage and property dependent staggered dead-lines:
•
30 November 2010: Registration of substances manufactured or imported at 1000 tonnes or
more per year, carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction substances above 1 tonne per
year, and substances dangerous to aquatic organisms or the environment above 100 tonnes per
year.
31 May 2013: Registration of substances manufactured or imported at 100-1000 tonnes per
year.
31 May 2018: Registration of substances manufactured or imported at 1-100 tonnes per year.
•
•
Evaluation
A selected number of registrations will be evaluated by ECHA and the EU Member States.
Evaluation covers assessment of the compliance of individual dossiers (dossier evaluation) and
substance evaluations involving information from all registrations of a given substance to see if
further EU action is needed on that substance, for example as a restriction (substance evaluation).
Authorisation
Authorisation aims at substituting or limiting the manufacturing, import and use of substances of
very high concern (SVHC). For substances included in REACH annex XIV, industry has to cease use
of those substance within a given deadline (sunset date) or apply for authorisation for certain
specified uses within an application date.
Restriction
If the authorities assess that that there is a risks to be addressed at the EU level, limitations of the
manufacturing and use of a chemical substance (or substance group) may be implemented.
Restrictions are listed in REACH annex XVII, which has also taken over the restrictions from the
previous legislation (Directive 76/769/EEC).
Classification and Labelling
The CLP Regulation implements the United Nations Global Harmonised System (GHS) for
classification and labelling of substances and mixtures of substances into EU legislation. It further
specifies rules for packaging of chemicals.
Two classification and labelling provisions are:
1.
Harmonised classification and labelling
for a number of chemical substances. These
classifications are agreed at the EU level and can be found in CLP Annex VI. In addition to newly
agreed harmonised classifications, the annex has taken over the harmonised classifications in
Annex I of the previous Dangerous Substances Directive (67/548/EEC); classifications which have
been 'translated' according to the new classification rules.
2.
Classification and labelling inventory.
All manufacturers and importers of chemicals
substances are obliged to classify and label their substances. If no harmonised classification is
available, a self-classification shall be done based on available information according to the
classification criteria in the CLP regulation. As a new requirement, these self-classifications should
be notified to ECHA, which in turn publish the classification and labelling inventory based on all
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notifications received. There is no tonnage trigger for this obligation. For the purpose of this report,
self-classifications are summarised in Appendix 2 to the main report.
Ongoing activities - pipeline
In addition to listing substance already addressed by the provisions of REACH (pre-registrations,
registrations, substances included in various annexes of REACH and CLP, etc.), the ECHA web-site
also provides the opportunity for searching for substances in the pipeline in relation to certain
REACH and CLP provisions. These will be briefly summarised below:
Community Rolling Action Plan (CoRAP)
The EU member states have the right and duty to conduct REACH substance evaluations. In order
to coordinate this work among Member States and inform the relevant stakeholders of upcoming
substance evaluations, a Community Rolling Action Plan (CoRAP) is developed and published,
indicating by who and when a given substance is expected to be evaluated.
Authorisation process; candidate list, Authorisation list, Annex XIV
Before a substance is included in REACH Annex XIV and thus being subject to Authorisation, it has
to go through the following steps:
1.
2.
3.
It has to be identified as a SVHC leading to inclusion in the candidate list4
It has to be prioritised and recommended for inclusion in ANNEX XIV (These can be found as
Annex XIV recommendation lists on the ECHA web-site)
It has to be included in REACH Annex XIV following a comitology procedure decision
(substances on Annex XIV appear on the Authorisation list on the ECHA web-site).
The candidate list (substances agreed to possess SVHC properties) and the Authorisation list are
published on the ECHA web-site.
Registry of intentions
When EU Member States and ECHA (when required by the European Commission) prepare a
proposal for:
•
•
•
a harmonised classification and labelling,
an identification of a substance as SVHC, or
a restriction.
This is done as a REACH Annex XV proposal.
The 'registry of intentions' gives an overview of intensions in relation to Annex XV dossiers divided
into:
•
current intentions for submitting an Annex XV dossier,
•
dossiers submitted, and
•
withdrawn intentions and withdrawn submissions
for the three types of Annex XV dossiers.
International agreements
OSPAR Convention
4
It should be noted that the candidate list is also used in relation to articles imported to, produced in or distributed in the EU.
Certain supply chain information is triggered if the articles contain more than 0.1% (w/w) (REACH Article 7.2 ff).
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OSPAR is the mechanism by which fifteen Governments of the western coasts and catchments of
Europe, together with the European Community, cooperate to protect the marine environment of
the North-East Atlantic.
Work to implement the OSPAR Convention and its strategies is taken forward through the adoption
of decisions, which are legally binding on the Contracting Parties, recommendations and other
agreements. Decisions and recommendations set out actions to be taken by the Contracting Parties.
These measures are complemented by other agreements setting out:
•
•
•
•
issues of importance
agreed programmes of monitoring, information collection or other work which the Contracting
Parties commit to carry out.
guidelines or guidance setting out the way that any programme or measure should be
implemented
actions to be taken by the OSPAR Commission on behalf of the Contracting Parties.
HELCOM - Helsinki Convention
The Helsinki Commission, or HELCOM, works to protect the marine environment of the Baltic Sea
from all sources of pollution through intergovernmental co-operation between Denmark, Estonia,
the European Community, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Sweden.
HELCOM is the governing body of the "Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of
the Baltic Sea Area" - more usually known as the Helsinki Convention.
In pursuing this objective and vision the countries have jointly pooled their efforts in
HELCOM, which is works as:
•
•
an environmental policy maker for the Baltic Sea area by developing common environmental
objectives and actions;
an environmental focal point providing information about (i) the state of/trends in the marine
environment; (ii) the efficiency of measures to protect it and (iii) common initiatives and
positions which can form the basis for decision-making in other international fora;
a body for developing, according to the specific needs of the Baltic Sea, Recommendations of
its own and Recommendations supplementary to measures imposed by other international
organisations;
a supervisory body dedicated to ensuring that HELCOM environmental standards are fully
implemented by all parties throughout the Baltic Sea and its catchment area; and
a co-ordinating body, ascertaining multilateral response in case of major maritime incidents.
•
•
•
Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is a global treaty to protect human
health and the environment from chemicals that remain intact in the environment for long periods,
become widely distributed geographically, accumulate in the fatty tissue of humans and wildlife,
and have adverse effects to human health or to the environment. The Convention is administered
by the United Nations Environment Programme and is based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Rotterdam Convention
The objectives of the Rotterdam Convention are:
•
to promote shared responsibility and cooperative efforts among Parties in the international
trade of certain hazardous chemicals in order to protect human health and the environment
from potential harm;
•
to contribute to the environmentally sound use of those hazardous chemicals, by facilitating
information exchange about their characteristics, by providing for a national decision-making
process on their import and export and by disseminating these decisions to Parties.
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•
The Convention creates legally binding obligations for the implementation of the Prior
Informed Consent (PIC) procedure. It built on the voluntary PIC procedure, initiated by UNEP
and FAO in 1989 and ceased on 24 February 2006.
The Convention covers pesticides and industrial chemicals that have been banned or severely
restricted for health or environmental reasons by Parties and which have been notified by Parties
for inclusion in the PIC procedure. One notification from each of two specified regions triggers
consideration of addition of a chemical to Annex III of the Convention. Severely hazardous pesticide
formulations that present a risk under conditions of use in developing countries or countries with
economies in transition may also be proposed for inclusion in Annex III.
Basel Convention
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their
Disposal was adopted on 22 March 1989 by the Conference of Plenipotentiaries in Basel,
Switzerland, in response to a public outcry following the discovery, in the 1980s, in Africa and other
parts of the developing world of deposits of toxic wastes imported from abroad.
The overarching objective of the Basel Convention is to protect human health and the environment
against the adverse effects of hazardous wastes. Its scope of application covers a wide range of
wastes defined as “hazardous wastes” based on their origin and/or composition and their
characteristics, as well as two types of wastes defined as “other wastes” - household waste and
incinerator ash.
The provisions of the Convention center around the following principal aims:
•
•
•
the reduction of hazardous waste generation and the promotion of environmentally sound
management of hazardous wastes, wherever the place of disposal;
the restriction of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes except where it is perceived
to be in accordance with the principles of environmentally sound management; and
a regulatory system applying to cases where transboundary movements are permissible.
Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, CLRTAP
Since 1979 the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) has addressed
some of the major environmental problems of the UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission
for Europe) region through scientific collaboration and policy negotiation.
The aim of the Convention is that Parties shall endeavour to limit and, as far as possible, gradually
reduce and prevent air pollution including long-range transboundary air pollution. Parties develop
policies and strategies to combat the discharge of air pollutants through exchanges of information,
consultation, research and monitoring.
The Convention has been extended by eight protocols that identify specific measures to be taken by
Parties to cut their emissions of air pollutants. Three of the protocols specifically address the
emission of hazardous substances of which some are included in LOUS:
•
The 1998 Protocol on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs); 33 Parties. Entered into force on
23 October 2003.
The 1998 Protocol on Heavy Metals; 33 Parties. Entered into force on 29 December 2003.
The 1991 Protocol concerning the Control of Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds or their
Transboundary Fluxes; 24 Parties. Entered into force 29 September 1997
•
•
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Eco-labels
Eco-label schemes are voluntary schemes where industry can apply for the right to use the eco-label
on their products if these fulfil the ecolabelling criteria for that type of product. An EU scheme (the
flower) and various national/regional schemes exist. In this project we have focused on the three
most common schemes encountered on Danish products.
EU flower
The EU ecolabelling Regulation lays out the general rules and conditions for the EU ecolabel; the
flower. Criteria for new product groups are gradually added to the scheme via 'decisions'; e.g. the
Commission Decision of 21 June 2007 establishing the ecological criteria for the award of the
Community eco-label to soaps, shampoos and hair conditioners.
Nordic Swan
The Nordic Swan is a cooperation between Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland. The
Nordic Ecolabelling Board consists of members from each national Ecolabelling Board and decides
on Nordic criteria requirements for products and services. In Denmark, the practical
implementation of the rules, applications and approval process related to the EU flower and Nordic
Swan is hosted by Ecolabelling Denmark "Miljømærkning Danmark" (http://www.ecolabel.dk/).
New criteria are applicable in Denmark when they are published on the Ecolabelling Denmark’s
website (according to Statutory Order no. 447 of 23/04/2010).
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Appendix 3: Ecolabels
The use of mercury is generally prohibited or restricted in criteria for Eco-labels. The table below
gives an overview of in which product groups, mercury and mercury compounds are explicitly
targeted by the EU and Nordic eco-labelling schemes.
ECO-LABELS TARGETING MERCURY AND MERCURY COMPOUNDS
Eco-label
Nordic Swan
Substances
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Document title and product group
Nordic Ecolabelling of Primary batteries
Nordic Ecolabelling of Rechargeable batteries
Nordic Ecolabelling of Car and boat care products
Nordic Ecolabelling of Vehicle wash installations
Nordic Ecolabelling of Sanitary products
Nordic Ecolabelling of Stoves
Nordic Ecolabelling of Panels for the building, decoration and furniture industries
Nordic Ecolabelling of Floor coverings
Nordic Ecolabelling of Small houses, apartment buildings and pre-school buildings
Nordic Ecolabelling of Solid biofuel boilers
Nordic Ecolabelling of Chemical building products
Ecolabelling of Compost bins
Nordic Ecolabelling of Imaging equipment
Nordic Ecolabelling of Cosmetic products
Nordic Ecolabelling of Paper envelopes – Supplementary Module
Nordic Ecolabelling of Toys
Nordic Ecolabelling of Indoor paints and varnishes
Nordic Ecolabelling of Fabric cleaning products containing microfibers
Nordic Ecolabelling of Furniture and fitments
Nordic Ecolabelling of Dish washers
Nordic Ecolabelling of Computers
Nordic Ecolabelling of Writing instruments
Nordic Ecolabelling of Machines for parks and gardens
Nordic Ecolabelling of Candles
Nordic Ecolabelling of De-icers
Nordic Ecolabelling of Toner cartridges
Nordic Ecolabelling of Durable wood
Nordic Ecolabelling of Printing companies, printed matter, envelopes and other
converted paper products
Mercury (Hg)
Nordic Ecolabelling of Audiovisual equipment
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Eco-label
Substances
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
Document title and product group
Nordic Ecolabelling of Outdoor furniture and playground equipment
Nordic Ecolabelling of Washing machines
Nordic Ecolabelling of Windows and Exterior Doors
COMMISSION DECISION of 6 June 2011 on establishing the ecological criteria for the
award of the EU Ecolabel for light sources
EU Flower
Mercury (Hg)
Mercury (Hg)
COMMISSION DECISION of 30 November 2009 on establishing the ecological criteria
for the award of the Community Ecolabel for textile floor coverings
Mercury (Hg)
COMMISSION DECISION of 13 August 2008 establishing the ecological criteria for the
award of the Community eco-label to indoor paints and varnishes
Mercury (Hg)
COMMISSION DECISION of 9 July 2009 establishing the ecological criteria for the
award of the Community Ecolabel for bed mattresses
Mercury (Hg)
COMMISSION DECISION of 6 June 2011 on establishing the ecological criteria for the
award of the EU Ecolabel for notebook computers
Mercury (Hg)
COMMISSION DECISION of 9 June 2011 on establishing the ecological criteria for the
award of the EU Ecolabel for personal computers
Mercury (Hg)
COMMISSION DECISION of 21 June 2007 establishing the ecological criteria for the
award of the Community eco-label to soaps, shampoos
and hair conditioners
Mercury (Hg)
COMMISSION DECISION of 26 November 2009 on establishing the ecological criteria
for the award of the Community Ecolabel for wooden floor coverings
Mercury (Hg)
COMMISSION DECISION of 30 November 2009 on establishing the ecological criteria
for the award of the Community eco-label for wooden furniture
Mercury (Hg)
COMMISSION DECISION of 16 August 2012 establishing the ecological criteria for the
award of the EU Ecolabel for printed paper
Mercury (Hg)
COMMISSION DECISION of 12 March 2009 establishing the revised ecological criteria
for the award of the Community Eco-label to televisions
Mercury (Hg)
COMMISSION DECISION of 13 August 2008 establishing the ecological criteria for the
award of the Community eco-label to outdoor paints and varnishes
Mercury (Hg)
COMMISSION DECISION of 9 November 2007 establishing the ecological criteria for
the award of the Community eco-label to electrically driven, gas driven or gas absorption
heat pumps
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Survey of mercury and mercury compounds
This survey is part of the Danish EPA’s review of the substances on the List of Undesirable Substances
(LOUS). The report define the substance groups and present information on the use and occurrence of
mercury as such, internationally and in Denmark, brief information on environmental and health effects,
on alternatives to the substances, on existing regulation, on monitoring and exposure, waste
management and information regarding ongoing activities under REACH, among others.
Kortlægning af kviksølv og kviksølvforbindelser
Denne kortlægning er et led i Miljøstyrelsens kortlægninger af stofferne på Listen Over Uønskede Stoffer
(LOUS). Rapporten definerer stofgruppen og indeholder blandt andet en beskrivelse af brugen og
forekomsten af kviksølv, internationalt og i Danmark, en beskrivelse af miljø- og sundhedseffekter af
stofferne, og viden om alternativer, eksisterende regulering, moniteringsdata, eksponering,
affaldsbehandling og igangværende aktiviteter under REACH.
Strandgade 29
1401 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Tel.: (+45) 72 54 40 00
www.mst.dk